Women’s Council plan - Time for State to act on childcare

REELING under the burden of childcare costs, beleaguered parents are bound to welcome the National Women’s Council plan for a €1.7 billion scheme to be funded by the State.

With the Coalition desperately seeking solutions to this explosive problem, the council’s timing could not be better as this issue will dominate the next election.

Despite Ireland’s much-vaunted image as the EU’s fastest-growing economy, parents here receive Europe’s lowest level of child support even though their costs are the highest.

Among other things, the 10-year, State-funded scheme envisages 26-weeks paid maternity leave and five-days paternity leave within a month of a child’s birth.

With many paying more on childcare than the mortgage, it is time this Government came up with a realistic and generous package to ease the crippling financial burden on parents.