Already agreed

Grants for childcare providers with fewer than 20 children to bring premises into line with recent legislation.

Training courses both from FAS and other agencies.

Money for after school activities while individual schools will be able to apply to the Department of Education for grants to provide after school services.

A data base on childcare availability on a county by county basis is being compiled.

In negotiation

Debate about effectiveness of tax relief versus payments to all parents, to be agreed between social partners. IBEC currently calling for a combination of tax reliefs and allowances for legitimate childcare rather than child benefit increases which it argues are untargeted and do nothing to improve quality.

The community and social pillar is seeking a flat rate taxable payment for all parents with children under 12.

Congress is seeking an increase in maternity leave to 20 weeks and an increase in additional maternity leave to 10 weeks as well as the introduction of five days paid paternity leave.

IBEC is calling for a relaxation in the conditions on benefit-in-kind to allow for greater flexibility and employer involvement. It is also calling for childcare facility applications to be prioritised in the planning process.

Congress is also seeking a broad range of family friendly practices in the workplace including part-time working and term-time working.