Should parents bring their kids to work? 

Earlier this week, the founder of an AI company said she had felt "absolutely humiliated" when she was turned away from a conference because she had brought her eight month old with her. 

Davina Schonle also said the experience confirmed all her worst fears about the treatment of women in the tech sector. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, presenter Ciara Kelly said she emphasised with Ms Schonle but added that she always found it "incredibly difficult” when someone brings a child into work. 

“I think in theory you should be allowed to bring your kids to work if you have to,” she said. 

“But in practice, it’s not a great idea. 

“I do think the solution here is not to bring them, it’s to have better childcare.” 

A group of children from a nursery school in high visibility jackets walking with teachers or childcare workers through a park in winter. Picture by: Gary Hider / Alamy.com.

Co-presenter Seán Defoe added that it is a “difficult one” but that he did not think children belong in the workplace. 

“I don’t think it’s very fair to have them in there, either for the parent who is trying to work and mind their child and make sure the child doesn’t bother anybody else,” he said. 

“But for the child themselves; a baby is just looking for a couple of things, aren’t they? 

“They’re looking to be fed, to wee, to do whatever or sleep and they need all that attention. 

“It also depends on the age; this woman was turned away with an eight month old from a conference.

“I don’t agree with her being turned away from that because if you’re at a conference or at a talk, an eight month old, sometimes they can be disruptive but if they’re disruptive, you leave the talk. 

“Sometimes they can sit there quite quietly.”

Main image: Ciara Kelly in the Newstalk studio. Picture by: Rory Walsh/Newstalk