Childcare: Labour would put children first and provide one year of free pre-school education, amounting to five half-days per week, Senator Kathleen O'Meara, a candidate in Tipperary North said.
"This is a major project and will require a great deal of effort. We have costed the proposal and it is both feasible and, in our view, an investment in tomorrow rather than a cost today," she said.
Labour also had a package of measures to support flexible working, which would guarantee parents a right to part-time work, Ms O'Meara said.
Colm Keaveney, a candidate for Galway East, said childhood obesity would be addressed.
Eating habits were becoming an even greater problem and was driving increasing levels of obesity and storing up problems for the future.
"I want to see a sustained national healthy eating campaign targeted at our schools," he said.
They wanted to try and influence behaviour and give people options on how they could promote healthy eating alternatives for themselves and their children, he said.
"We will also get rid of vending machines in schools that sell junk food. The pressures on parents are great enough.
"We do not believe that schools should be in a position where these vending machines have to be located beside our classrooms, Mr Keaveney said.