The value of stay-at-home parenting is getting some much-needed attention

Green Party Senator, Pauline O'Reilly weighed in on the findings during a chat on Newstalk Breakfast, and offered her thoughts on what this means for families and how the government supports them.

Senator O'Reilly explained that there are two ways to look at the study. 

"One is - how much are you saving by staying home and caring for your children? The other is how much is the value of what you're doing in monetary terms," she said. 

"I think it’s really important to value stay-at-home care whether or not it’s saving money - certainly at the moment, it does because of how expensive childcare is in particular."

While she acknowledged the importance of recognising the role of stay-at-home parents, Senator O'Reilly was critical of the current home care tax credit, which she feels doesn't go far enough. 

"The home care tax credit is supposed to take into account somebody who stays at home, but it’s just under €2,000 a year," she pointed out. 

"You have to be married, it goes to your partner, not to you the person who is caring at home. I don’t think that is the correct approach – I do think there should be an allowance, but there’s only so much money in the public coffers."

Childcare costs in Ireland, she said, play a big role in the decision for some parents to stay home. 

"There should be a public model of childcare, in my view - it should be far more affordable," she argued. For many families, staying at home is a temporary solution rather than a long-term plan. 

"A lot of [stay-at-home parents] only do it for a couple of years," she said. "It's very, very difficult financially, but people still make that choice."

Senator O'Reilly believes that making childcare more affordable could open up more options for parents, allowing some of them to return to work if they choose. 

"Eliminating the cost of childcare would encourage stay-at-home parents to rejoin the workforce," she said, highlighting the need for a better system to support families in every situation.

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