There is a political resistance to tackling the crisis in childcare provision, according to the chief executive of the National Women's Council of Ireland, Ms Katherine Zappone. She was speaking to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights.
With 28 per cent of Ireland's mothers in full-time employment, 14 per cent in part-time employment and 16 per cent of those who work full-time in the home availing of childcare, 58 per cent of all mothers needed access to childcare to some degree, she said. The demand for childcare could increase by between 25 per cent and 50 per cent by the year 2011.
There was no reason why at least some of the recommendations of the report of the working group on childcare could not be implemented immediately, she said. In particular, a National Childcare Management Board and Regional County Childcare committees should be set up.
The group's recommendations on registration, qualifications, training and job potential could also be implemented without prejudging decisions on broader matters like tax relief for childcare and increased child benefit.
There was also no good reason not to implement the recommendations on the supply side, like capital grants or reliefs for providers, tax allowance for child minders or employers investing in childcare, and funding local measures, she added. Any tax relief should be provided whether one or two parents were working, she said.
Ms Noirin Byrne, chairwoman of the NWCI, said that they rejected the idea that the council was divisive. Its membership was extremely diverse, and it wanted to see women's unpaid work valued.
Ms Mary Lee Stapleton of the National Children's Nurseries Association told the joint committee that there was a particular need to support small scale community-based childcare provision, which was in danger of being wiped out.
There were a number of measures which could be taken at planning level to help the situation. There were no common policies and procedures relating to planning, and the criteria in relation to planning applications were often not available to applicants.
Ms Patricia Murray of the National Childminding Association of Ireland, representing people who mind a small number of children in their own homes, said that a unique opportunity now existed to address the needs of children for a quality pre-school service.