Sir, – It was reassuring to see Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald’s call for investment in a high-quality childcare system, rather than monthly welfare benefit, given front-page coverage in The Irish Times (December 27th).
The first three years in a human life are known to be crucial, and many eminent studies conducted worldwide over three generations have proved the measurable benefits to society when investment is focused on early childhood support.
Given all that has happened over the last 10 years we might justifiably see the need to develop a social philosophy for the rich! However, agreeing a social philosophy aimed at early childhood development would indeed be a giant step towards a better Ireland. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – There I was surrounded by the detritus of another Christmas, when I spotted the opinion of our Minister for Children regarding the desirability of the abandonment of direct welfare payment (children’s allowance) and a move toward the Scandinavian model of state childcare provision. Thanks, Minister, it was all getting too heavy and serious there for me for a while, but my sense of the ridiculous has returned again, thanks to you.
In the meantime, I will continue to avail of the largest black economy service in the State (after-school childcare provision), which the Minister blithely refers to as being “unavailable” in her statement, and hope that I might be able to catch some of those pigs as they fly by. – Yours, etc,