Talk to Joe: callers join in as childcare debate hits the airwaves

THE majority of callers to yesterday afternoon’s Liveline show on RTÉ Radio1 demanded an increase in child benefit.

They told presenter Joe Duffy that tax-breaks for childcare only benefited the better-off and failed to help mothers who chose to stay at home.

Father-of-eight, Robert, said: “The only thing that is equitable and fair would be child benefit increases - if you have tax benefits then only the rich will get it but the poor people will not.”

Another caller, Joe, called for a reform of child benefit: “Increasing child benefit is a quick-fix solution. Unfortunately it is given to everyone, including people who don’t need it. This means people who do need it don’t get as much as they should. It should be means-tested but there’s a political lack of courage.”

John, from Co Kildare, said the Government should lend parents the money to pay for childcare with the loans repayable once the child turns 18.

Callers also said they had no choice but to work and to pay out for childcare. One said he was paying €9,000 a year in childcare but the cost would remain high to parents even with increased child benefit payments.

Other callers were hostile to the idea of the State paying for childcare, saying it was the family’s job to look after children. One caller said: “People should be encouraged to look after children and not just breed them. The family is the bedrock of society and if you break that down there’s no bedrock and no community.”

Another, called Eoin, said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous if the Government introduces a system so men and women minding kids at home are going to get paid. It’s an absolute joke.”

Pensioner Alice said she would not have wanted money to look after her son when he was growing up.

Catriona Lynch, of the parenting and carers’ organisation Curam, said childcare vouchers would be a solution. Mothers could give vouchers to anyone who looked after their children and could be cashed in at the post office.