The Chairwoman of the Council for the Status of Women calls for a national childcare authority.
The 'Making Their Mark' report was presented at a conference on Women and Unwaged Work. Inadequate childcare services are seen as a significant contributing factor to the low participation of women in the labour force in Ireland.
Ireland has one of the lowest percentages of working women in Europe.
The conference was organised by the European Union funded NOW Initiative with a focus on what has and has not been achieved for women in the workplace. Among the achievements identified include eight pilot childcare projects which have been running for the past two years.
Anne Taylor, Council for the Status of Women, points to childcare as a major equality issue and calls for more government initiatives. She specifically wants to see the establishment of a National Childcare Authority and a tax relief on childcare payments.
It's not an issue just for women in the workplace. It's a major issue for women in the home as well.
Junior Minister Mary O'Rourke spoke at the conference in favour of the establishment of a Childcare Authority but acknowledged that there will be challenges to fund it..
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 21 November 1994. The reporter is Rachael English.
