Childcare as an election issue

Sir, – As we enter the final stage before casting our votes on Friday, there are many topics on our minds, not least when we consider the great pressures put on voters in the Ireland of today. One such pressure is the huge cost of sending children to creches, while many of their mothers are forced by economic necessity to go out to work to help pay for the rent or mortgage. This wasn’t always the case. I remember when I was a young man, only one working parent was required to make ends meet. Maybe I am looking back at it through rose-tinted glasses, but family life was much less stressful then when mothers did not have to get up at unearthly hours to get their infants ready, fed and out the door to the creche, work a full day, collect them in the evening and, if they are lucky enough, have one or two hours of family life before going to bed exhausted, only to have the same repeated the next day.

The long-term effects on society are bound to be negative, with divorce, family break-up, mental health issues and greater criminality, while unsupervised teenage children have less guidance from parents who are not present or are so stressed out as to be ineffective.

If families were to be given enough State economic assistance that would permit women to look after the first two or three children at home until they reach primary school age, although initially costly in financial terms, it could eventually have great beneficial effects on society. I have not seen any such proposals in the manifesto of any political party for this election. More’s the pity. – Yours, etc,

BOBBY CARTY,