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Childcare is a significant barrier to equality. Rawpixel.com via Shutterstock

Opinion Without a public childcare model there can be no equality for women

The National Women’s Council says inadequate State investment in childcare has led to an unsustainable system in crisis.

THE PANDEMIC HAS clearly exposed how childcare is absolutely crucial for the functioning of our society and economy.

We saw during successive lockdowns how women were disproportionately affected by increased childcare responsibilities. Women were more likely to report on the struggle to provide full time care to children at home while working at the same time from home.

Childcare remains the single most significant barrier to women’s equal participation in all aspects of society, and greatly impacts the decisions that women can take in their lives. 

  • Read more here on how you can support a major Noteworthy project to investigate how to build a childcare system that works for everyone.

Recently the Citizens Assembly on Gender Equality voted almost unanimously to
recommend State investment in a public model of childcare as a key way to remove barriers to women’s equality.

Through this outcome, the Citizens signalled not just a strong public desire for quality services, but also a willingness to pay for them.

Public model more affordable

We know from other European countries that a public model of childcare is a crucial mechanism for the provision of services that are more affordable, accessible and of higher quality than countries with private service provision. Workers are provided with better pay and conditions through this public model.

For too long, inadequate State investment in childcare has led to an unsustainable system in crisis.

Women within families have been either pushed out of the workforce to provide care to their families or pay the highest fees in Europe for privatised childcare services. 

While most parents are affected by the high cost of childcare, it acts as a significant barrier to employment for women who are not high earners. Lone parents are particularly affected by affordability, with 60% of lone parents unable to pay for childcare services.

At the same time, childcare workers are some of the worst paid in the country. Minimal
investment is creating a poorly paid, un-pensionable workforce that is predominately made up of women.

Often reliant on precarious contracts, six out of ten childcare workers are earning below the Living Wage. Professional salary scales are necessary to retain a qualified workforces and to provide opportunities for career progression.

Shift to sharing of care 

While investment in a public model of quality affordable accessible early years and out of school hours care is crucial, this must be combined with a number of measures to ensure a greater sharing of childcare in families.

We need to see a major shift in workplace culture towards flexible working arrangements, as well as in increase in payment and duration of parental leave, to ensure that taking leave is a realistic option for all families.

Finally, we need to enshrine the value of care to our society by replacing Article 41.2 of the Constitution also known as the ‘women in the home’ clause with an inclusive, gender neutral statement.

At a time in Ireland where we can clearly see that the provision of early years childcare is an essential public service, investment must be high on the political agenda if the Government is serious about solving the childcare crisis once and for all.

It is crucial that Budget 2022 delivers a clear pathway to a truly affordable, high-quality childcare system. The National Women’s Council is working with its members in a new drive for public quality early years and out of school hours childcare for all. 

Orla O’Connor is Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, Ireland’s largest women’s membership organisation.

CHILDCARE CROSSROADS Investigation

Do you want to know the toll that the pandemic has taken on the childcare sector?

The Noteworthy team wants to do an in-depth investigation into this issue and examine how we can build a more resilient and reliable childcare system for Ireland’s future.

Here’s how to help support this proposal>

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19 Comments
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    Mute Bleurgh
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    May 29th 2021, 7:55 PM

    Needs to stop being private and be public. Child care professionals are treated appalling by everyone. They are working with kids, physically closer, for longer hours with no permanent contact, pension or as much annual leave as the teachers, yet all we heard of during Covid was from teacher unions.
    Complimentary to this more flexible working conditions for both parents will mean woman can stay in the work force. Covid and working from home as meant for the first time in 9 years of having kids Im actually working for a proper wage

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    Mute Jj
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    May 29th 2021, 7:36 PM

    Here in Spain the public childcare system is really cheap compared to Ireland, we used to pay €150 for 9-12:30 and then 15-17h, there is the option to stay all day and it would be around €250 with lunch incl. That’s from around 1-3 yrs. Then public school starts at 3 and it’s free. I find the prices extortionate in Ireland, ye sure the wages are higher but €1300 for 2 kids (Meath) is crazy and in some places it’s a lot higher.

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    Mute Deborah Blacoe
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    May 29th 2021, 7:41 PM

    @Jj: those fees here are unbelievable. Quite shocking.

    30
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    Mute Josie Jones
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    May 29th 2021, 9:57 PM

    @Jj: I’m a bit confused by that model. Do you get childcare then for 3.5 hours then you collect them for 2.5 hours then bring them back to creche for 2 hours? What is all day hours compared to 3.5 + 2? You pay for lunch? And when you say €250 or €150, do you mean per month or week? From what was written I thought €150 for 5.5 hours which is like €25-27 per hour, but then I thought that can’t be it? :D ^_^

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    Mute Motherofthree
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    May 30th 2021, 12:01 AM

    @Josie Jones: it’s per month. The time gap is for siesta.
    My good friend in Spain spends the same on fulltime childcare for a month, as I do for two mornings per week. (Just 3 hours per morning)

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    Mute Seeking Truth
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    May 29th 2021, 10:46 PM

    If housing costs was lower, one parent could more easily stay home and then they would not have to pay childcare.
    I was out of the workforce for 15+ years and am now coming back. Fortunately there is still room for me in the corporate sector and my confidence was built back up by volunteering when my children were in school before applying for jobs, etc.

    There are so many factors to consider but I know I am grateful I was able to stay home and run the household and be the primary caregiver while my spouse worked 45+ hours a week to make financial ends meet.

    42
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    Mute Motherofthree
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    May 30th 2021, 12:09 AM

    @Seeking Truth: great for you. Delighted you are happy with your arrangements. As many people as possible should have the choice. I know so many men late in their career, very successful professionally, had stay at home partners and they regret they didn’t get to experience more of their kids growing up. High quality, affordable childcare benefits the whole family.

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    Mute Josie Jones
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    May 29th 2021, 9:19 PM

    I dunno if I agree with it only being an issue for women, but childcare is a farce in Ireland. There certainly is a great need for subsidised childcare. I really hope the state/government will realise that and address it. Scandinavian model has worked for generations why not at least think about it?

    43
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    Mute Dave
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    May 29th 2021, 10:23 PM

    @Josie Jones: In no way shape or form should tax payers money be used to help patents with their childcare…. its insane to think that people would bring a child into the world without first counting the costs..If you cannot afford it dont do it….

    49
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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    May 29th 2021, 10:48 PM

    @Dave: those children will one day become tax payers. Their parents are tax payers now. Provide the right supports and early years education and in the long run to will off set the cost against the higher income tax thats brought in from a more skilled workforce. Its called seeing the bigger and planning for the long term future. Unfortunately the foresight in Ireland never goes past the next general election.

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    Mute Motherofthree
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    May 30th 2021, 12:06 AM

    @Dave: who’s looking after you when you’re old and grey? Unsustainable childcare costs cannot hold back whole generations from having kids.
    Parents are finding alternatives, grandparents are stepping up, one parent is staying home, but there are more sustainable solutions for everyone with a fairer more equitable childcare system.

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    Mute Tessa Madden
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    May 30th 2021, 11:25 AM

    @SmallbutMighty: totally agree and not just on the issue of childcare, housing, healthcare, insurance and climate policies are an absolute joke all around fleecing people and it just keeps getting worse

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    Mute Edmund Murphy
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    May 29th 2021, 7:04 PM

    I hope we more to something like the German model of public Pre-K seems good.

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    Mute Em Dwyer
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    May 29th 2021, 8:36 PM

    @Edmund Murphy: I’m not sure. As an Irish mother in Austria I literally cannot return to full time work as childcare only starts from age 1 and at that is from 7am until 2pm maximum. Upsetting to say the least.

    13
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    Mute Contrary Mary
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    May 30th 2021, 7:52 AM

    @Em Dwyer: What about the child’s father? Can he mind the child while you go back to work?

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    Mute Trevor Donoghue
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    May 29th 2021, 10:59 PM

    The irony of it is that they are demolishing creches to build apartment blocks. Can’t believe how hopeless our government is.

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    Mute Josie Jones
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    May 29th 2021, 9:27 PM

    I dunno if I agree with it only being an issue for women (seemingly from the article), but childcare is a farce in Ireland. There certainly is a great need for subsidised childcare. I really hope that the state/government will realize that and address it. The Scandinavian model has worked for generations, who not at least think about it?

    17
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    Mute Mary Walshe
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    May 29th 2021, 11:08 PM

    @Josie Jones:
    I agree. The Scandinavian model is fantastic, affordable, regulated and accessible to every child.
    My sister has lived in Sweden for many years and has two grown children and now three grandchildren who have and are now using the childcare system there. The vast majority of both parents work outside of the home and therefore good childcare is essential.
    I cannot understand why Ireland cannot adopt that system here, as well as in other areas of life such as housing etc

    27
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