The “universal” childcare payment introduced in today’s budget is anything but universal, and will serve to further widen an already substantial financial gap between dual income families and families with a single income or lone parent at home, says STAY-AT- HOME PARENTS ASSOCIATION IRELAND.
The newly formed association, which aims to give families providing childcare through a stay-at- home parent a voice, says that today’s Childcare Plan is clearly discriminatory against those who care for their children at home and will take the choice out of the hands of many parents. The association represents parents of all genders, all religions and none, and all family structures, and is looking for full equality for children from all families irrespective of what childcare option they chose.
Catherine Walsh, spokesperson for the association said “The poorest families are becoming unable to care for their own children at home as a direct result of government policy. This policy has been clearly focused on incentivising two parents to work outside of the home in a full time capacity thus making the stay at home parent an endangered species. A punitive taxing mechanism on families earning one income along with a number of ill thought out moves, including todays announcement will unfortunately result in many Irish families being no longer able to provide a parent to stay at home as an option for childcare. This is a very sad day for the stay at home parent”.
PALTRY
Stay at home families will be offered an extra €100 a year, as part of the home carer tax credit.
This figure does not even come close to matching the tax credits which dual income families are entitled to. Since the introduction of tax individualisation in 2000, a single income family will reach the higher level of tax much faster than a dual income family. This occurs as result of the stay at home partner being unable to transfer the full portion of tax credits and income which they are allowed to earn at the lower rate of tax, to the other working parent. The new subsidy will mean an additional sum of up to €8000 will go to working parents engaging a childminder or crèche for 40 hours a week. This will leave hard pressed parents no other option but to use childcare services outside of the family and will serve to further widen this already significant gap with “stay at home” or one income families. This budget will give families fewer choices about how they raise their families and may soon result in the end of the line for families to be able to financially support a parent to take care of their own children full time in the home.
ENDS
Contact:
Catherine Walsh, 085 7174480
Pauline O’Reilly, 083 0044711
SAHPIreland@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/homeparentsireland/