Courtney McGrailJohn Reid
The Catholic Grandparents Association of Ireland (CGA) has rejected the suggestion by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, that grandparents are “insulted” by the suggestion they should receive State support for minding grandchildren.
Minister Zappone has announced a subsidy scheme which will be of benefit only to parents who put their children into childcare, but has refused to seek a cash benefit or subsidy for relatives who handle childminding duties for busy parents.
Spokeswoman for the CGA, Catherine Wiley, told The Irish Catholic that grandparents “would welcome any opportunity to spend more time with their grandchildren”, and that a subsidy or direct cash payment “would be of help” to many grandparents when encountering the costs of childminding, such as travel, food or clothing costs, etc.
Ms Wiley pointed out that grandparents come from many different income backgrounds, and that for some, a State subvention would be particularly welcome. Ms Wiley pointed out that parents often feel very reassured by the presence of a grandparent around their children, stressing that grandparents “are the most trusted child-minders”.
Meanwhile, Victoria White an Irish Examiner columnist who has championed stay-at-home care, told The Irish Catholic the Government should offer a “flexible” payment or subsidy, along the lines of that recommended by the 1998 Commission on the Family, which could be used for whatever form of childminding that is most appropriate for a given family.