Every Deputy has received representations from many parents facing the high cost of child care or the lack of such care. Many parents face Hobson's choice — unwilling to work owing to the cost of child care, yet having to work to pay a mortgage. As this issue was debated at the recent Progressive Democrats conference, is the programme for Government to be distilled down to one aspect of child care? The programme spoke of implementing a children's strategy, a national study of children, strengthening parental leave schemes and implementing a child care strategy by the end of 2002. It now seems, however, that the big idea is the provision of out of hours child care programmes based in schools. While that is one of the many aspects in the programme for Government, does the Taoiseach regard it as proper child rearing and in the best interests of children for them to be kept at school from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.? Many school buildings are dilapidated and substandard. I visited a number of schools in Donabate, some of which are not even in receipt of basic classroom resources, never mind child care facilities.

What is the Government's view following the Progressive Democrats conference? Is it to run with the idea of permanent school detention, as some children might see it? Alternatively, will the Government first put in place the proper school structures and discuss the matter with teachers' and parents' organisations so that some agreement can be reached? Is it not the case that this idea will not run because the infrastructure is not in place in schools and has not been agreed upon?

Tomorrow, many of these issues will be discussed at the Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, under the chairmanship of Deputy Ardagh. The committee is having a full day's hearing on many of these issues and Deputies will no doubt debate them when the committee meets tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

I agree with Deputy Sargent on the concept of children going to school at 7 a.m. and getting out at 7 p.m. That would not be easy for any child. There has long been an argument that spare capacity in schools, particularly classrooms, should be used. I would not object to them as an appropriate environment for child care facilities. The Minister for Education and Science tells me discussions on these issues are ongoing.

Following discussions, the Government decided some years ago that we should put the resources into child benefit. The benefit increased substantially from less than €0.5 billion per year to more than €2 billion, but did not solve all the problems. We also increased the number of child care places to 40,000. I know that is not enough and that people incur substantial costs in this regard. Many other proposals for improvement are now coming forward.

The Government has not closed its mind to looking at the suggestions made under the equal opportunities child care programme and many will be aired at the committee meeting tomorrow. Some weeks ago in this House I said some of these suggestions must be considered but we cannot forget that we decided that the best way forward was to put money into child benefit. Because of that decision, everyone, not only those parents at work, received equal treatment. Nevertheless, we are not ignoring the substantial burden placed on parents who are at work and must pay a lot of money for child care and seek out places for their children. That is why we are talking of using schools and community halls and of opening places which would not be too expensive. Insurance and other issues are being examined as part of this debate.

The Taoiseach must ask himself who will rear the nation's children. Are they to be increasingly institutionalised or will the Government come seriously to the aid of parents who choose to raise their children themselves? Will the aid be in the form of properly funded parental leave? Will the refundable tax credit plan run effectively so that parents will have the wherewithal to rear their own children in future? Where does the Government stand with regard to its commitments when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform can send letters to voluntary and community based child care services in receipt of grants under the equal opportunities child care programme to inform them their funding is to be withdrawn from the end of August this year?

Is the Taoiseach reneging on his commitments in Government regarding children? What initiatives will the Government take to facilitate parents who want to rear their own children? Regardless of what the Taoiseach says, they cannot afford to do so, nor can they afford child care. The Government is giving them a Hobson's choice and needs to take action.

Regarding Deputy Sargent's first point, it was because the groups who looked at the issue four years ago were unable to reach an agreement on a scheme that the Government decided the best way forward was to put resources into child benefit. That left child care decisions with families. A person who reared a child at home all of the time got increases in benefit at the same level as others. That Government decision was made after the long debate which took place in 1999 and 2000. The benefit was increased from about €38 at the time to €141 currently. It was a substantial increase in the overall benefit from about €0.5 billion to some €2 billion.

Under the equal opportunities programme we have moved from having almost no child care places to a total of 33,000 places.

Does that relate to the situation after next August?

No. That is the current figure.

Will the Taoiseach reverse the cutbacks?

Many families still have difficulties because the private schemes are costly. That is why the interdepartmental group is looking to see if there are other ways in which the State can alleviate the burden for those people who opt to work, and pay for private child care. Those discussions are ongoing.