The future of childcare and recommendations on costs and infrastructures were discussed yesterday by the social partners at the talks on a successor to Partnership 2000.
Talks will continue over the next few weeks, covering all aspects of the economy, including the issue of low pay. Yesterday, representatives of the unions, employers and community and voluntary organisations made presentations in Government Buildings.
Ms Joan Carmichael, ICTU equality officer, said the solution to the childcare issue lay in a package of measures aimed at reconciling work and family life. This package should cover childcare facilities in the workplace; family-friendly workplace policies; improved maternity leave; paid paternity leave and paid parental leave.
She said congress was seeking a commitment from Government to address the outstanding issues. Management, unions and employees should jointly and in consultation with the local community childcare groups discuss how good-quality affordable childcare could be provided for workers.
The spokeswoman for the community and voluntary groups, Ms Orla O'Connor, said they were fundamentally opposed to tax relief as a mechanism to offset childcare costs.
Their proposal was for a a weekly payment to parents of £20 for children up to five years and £10 a week for children aged six to 14.
Ms O'Connor said this was the most equitable solution in terms of allowing all parents, regardless of their income, to choose suitable high-quality childcare.
However, Mr Brendan Butler, IBEC director of social policy, said employers were totally against child benefit as a solution to costs. Benefit was good for tackling child poverty but not costs.
IBEC was in favour of tax-linked measures whereby some childcare costs could be written off against tax if children were placed with a legitimate carer.
Mr Butler said primarily it was the State who should be looking after our young children. He also called for a proper childcare infrastructure which, he said, would go a long way to eliminating educational disadvantage.