Government needs to invest an extra €267million in childcare to cut costs for parents.
That’s the call from Sinn Féin which says its plan would see the State pay staff wages and in exchange fees would be cut by two thirds.
That plan’s due to be debated in the Dail later.
Meanwhile, providers are warning a funding scheme due to come in this autumn will result in closures and leave thousands of parents without childcare.
The party’s children’s spokesperson, Carlow Kilkenny Deputy Kathleen Funchion, says the costs facing parents needs to be prioritised; “There’s been a lot of talk, a lot of lip service to the whole idea of women and trying to progress women and support women in whatever role and every single issue that is a barrier to women, access in quality affordable childcare is one of the biggest that comes up time and time again you know we’re looking at over two Budgets that additional money would be there and I do think it needs to be done”.
