Madam, - Today the Government made the decision for me that I shall only have one child. Up till now I had been trying to hold my ground against the grinding increases in all of life's necessities. But, finally my husband and I must admit defeat. The Government has introduced the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme. This will affect the creche our daughter attends.
Under the new scheme, the level of grant aid to each facility will be based on the number of disadvantaged parents - which makes sense.
However, parents will receive assistance only if they are in receipt of a social welfare payment. So, once again, couples like ourselves fall into the ever widening and frankly terrifying gap. We both work. This is a necessity. Therefore, we will not be eligible for a reduction.
Give up work, you say? Well, although the Government appears to be pushing me this way, we can't afford to live on one salary.
Whatever remains after childcare is needed to pay bills. We don't go on sun holidays. Our car was born in '95. We don't go out out to dinner and the cinema is a rare treat.
Like many of my friends, we live a rather frugal life. This is a fact I had accepted as part of living in Ireland. I enjoy French citizenship, and have the option to move to France to enjoy free childcare, but I choose to stay.
Ireland is my home.
Up till now I thought I could muddle along. But now things have changed .
This morning it seems the Government has won. This is one final increase that we can't overcome.
So, I can only have one child. I thought this was a decision I would make for myself. I won't attempt to express how this makes me feel.
Sometimes there aren't words to convey how helpless this country's voters feel. - Yours, etc,
OONAGH MONTAGUE, Glenview, Old Youghal Road, Cork.