Elaine Hanley's employer, IBM, couldn't be more family-friendly
Parents: Elaine Hanley, software architect, Co Dublin, and husband Mark, accountant
Children: Maeve (nine), Michele (six) and Joe (two)
What they have: Creche for Joe
What they want: After-school care for Maeve and Michele; subsidised creche fees and subsidised school-based after-school/ holiday care
She's nearing the end of a 30-month career break granted for family reasons, and in January 2006 will return to her former job part-time: two days in the office and half a day working from home.
Elaine is lucky to have the choice of whether to work outside the home and feels strongly that her working part-time is better for the children.
"Early-childhood education in a creche is beneficial because it brings out different qualities in a child than I would at home - but only if it's part-time," she says. "I wouldn't work full-time and leave a child in a creche from 8am to 6pm every day."
Her main childcare problem is that after-school care for Maeve and Michele does not appear to be available in their area. When she returns to work, Elaine will need cover for Maeve and Michele on school in-service days and during mid-terms and summer holidays. They are too old for a creche and need programmes geared to their age groups.
The total childcare cost for all three children will be €1,100 per month, Elaine estimates, so that it will be "just about" rewarding financially to work part-time. Her other motivations are ambition and personal fulfilment.
Elaine wants the State to subsidise creche care and to provide after-school programmes run by qualified people in national schools. "But I don't want anything that isn't offered to parents who choose to stay at home because I've been a full-time mum and it's good," she adds.