Economic and societal changes over the past thirty years have completely altered the
Role of the Irish woman. It was not until the early 1970s that women in general began
To remain in employment following marriage and, even then, most frequently women
Withdrew from the labour market on the birth of their first child. This reflected a mix
Of traditional values and the lack of childcare options. Many of those who chose to
Remain in the labour force found themselves relying upon family members or
Neighbours to provide childcare. In Ireland in the 1980s and 1990s, as more mothers tended to remain in or return to
The workforce, the childcare needs of parents continued to be most frequently met by
Family or neighbours. Indeed, the survey of Childcare undertaken by the Central
Statistics Office in 20031
Shows that this reliance on relatives to provide childcare
Support still remains in very math result was the establishment in 1997 of an Expert Working Group on Childcare
In the context of the Partnership 2000 national agreement. The Expert Working
Group was mandated to develop a National Childcare Strategy. The focus of the
National Childcare Strategy was on the development of a comprehensive childcare
Service to meet the needs of parents in employment, education and training. The
Expert Working Group published its findings in 19992
And these have informed much
Of the public policy response to childcare in the early years of the new Millennium.
In February 2004, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform included a
Report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Expert Working Group
On Childcare in a response to a Parliamentary Question. This report on progress is
Reproduced in Appendix any families. In the 1970’s there was not a lot that woman where allowed to do. When they got married they were not allowed to work. The men went out to work while the woman stayed at home and cooked and cleaned and looked...