Sir, - I was interested in Medb Ruane's article ("Childcare, a promise not honoured", November 24th). I was beginning to think I was the only person who is perplexed by the current government's "childcare" policy.
Whenever childcare is discussed in this country it is always inextricably linked to children in the home as well as children of working parents in daycare arrangements. To my mind these are two separate policy areas. Child benefit increase is part of an overall family policy aimed at improving the quality of life of all children. As Ms Ruane rightly points out, no-one disputes the need to increase child benefit.
Childcare subsidies or allowances, however, would form part of an employment policy. If I look at the French example, they seem to have a much better approach. Those parents who choose to look after their children in the home, get a £200 allowance per child per month. They also get a number of hours of subsidised childcare (about £1.50 an hour) in a day-care centre to allow them to spend some one-on-one time with smaller children and to have some time for themselves if they so choose. The large majority of creches are set up with government capital grants and are run as non-profit entities i.e. parents pay only what it costs to run them (a novel concept). Those parents who choose to work are able to tax-deduct practically all costs of childcare. Ireland may not be able to stretch to matching these policies but at least the Government could show that they do understand that there are two completely separate issues.
I am weary of trying to negotiate myself and my family through the various hoops of trying to survive life in Ireland as a family with two working parents; lack of quality affordable pre-school care, complete lack of structured after-school care etc. Once my children are in secondary school, I feel that our lives as working parents will be easier, as point of need childcare will be easier to find, but I don't know if we can stick the stress and frustration of negotiating the childcare minefield between now and then. Can we see some solid policy making and action on these points?
I'm losing my patience. I speak fluent French and my passport is valid! - Yours, etc.,
Helen Borel, Howth, Co Dublin.