Childcare is now a battleground issue ahead of general election

This week’s host Pat Leahy is joined by Harry McGee and Jack Horgan-Jones to look back on the week in politics:

· The fallout from Apple’s tax case continues with a decision on what to do with the €13bn plus interest expected within three weeks. The windfall won’t be available to the State until next March, but some sources in Government are saying there is already a consensus among Coalition parties that pressing infrastructure requirements and housing are at the top of the shopping list.

· Speaking at Fine Gael’s think-in in Tullamore, Taoiseach Simon Harris backed a public childcare model, moving away from a reliance on private sector care. But would this potential restructuring result in a raft of new State employees? Sinn Féin stopped short of a public childcare model, instead pledging to reduce the financial burden on parents with the introduction of €10-a-day childcare from 2025 if it is in power after general election.

· And Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald reflected this week on a trauma-filled year for her and her family, a year in which she and her husband Martin Lanigan dealt with serious health issues.

· Ken Early on the gulf in class as Ireland were dismissed by England in a one-sided game at the Aviva stadium last Saturday.

· Harry McGee picked his own article looking at the farcical infighting at the National Party.

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