€200 cap on childcare and €9 public transport fares among Labour proposals

A €200 cap on monthly childcare fees, €9 public transport fares and social welfare increases are amongst Labour Party proposals for a €4 billion cost-of-living package.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik outlined the measures at the start of the party’s pre-Dáil term think-in meeting in Wexford.

She accused the Government of being “asleep at the wheel, or asleep at the handlebars” and “failing to tackle the three crises facing families on housing, cost of living and energy”.

Mr Bacik, who is almost six months in her role as Labour leader, brushed aside questions about her party’s consistently low poll ratings - it was at 4 per cent in the last two Irish Times/Ipsos polls - and declined to speculate on how many TDs it would return at the next general election.

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She said her own election in Dublin Bay South last year shows that Labour has “been able to confound polls” and there is “an appetite for a clear alternative message, for a clear left of centre vision that we can offer.”

Ms Bacik said the party - which currently has seven TDs - “would certainly be looking to make... substantial gains” at the next election.

She also refused to speculate on future Coalition options including whether or not Labour would go into Coalition with Sinn Féin saying: “We’re not at this point thinking about any other party but ourselves.”

Ms Bacik called on the Government to bring in urgent measures in the budget including a €200 per month cap on childcare costs.

“We have costings from government to show that it can be done. It would cost €270 million to do this,” she said. “It would be a dramatic, dramatic improvement in finances for so many families across Ireland.”

Labour also want to see free GP care extended to all under 18s, a measure that would cost about €100 million.

A €9 per month fare for unlimited public transport around Ireland would be “a win-win on climate and on household costings” and would cost €150 million for three months or €300 million for six.

She said €20 per week increases in social welfare rates - the level being sought by Social Justice Ireland and others - would cost more than €1 billion.

Ms Bacik said Labour is proposing a €4 billion cost-of-living package as that is proportionate to the kinds of measures being taken elsewhere in Europe. She cited Germany bringing in a €65 billion package and said the equivalent here would be €4 billion.

“These are measures that are within the Government’s power to do now and we believe they would make a really radical change and really radical impact for the families and households that we’re meeting with everyday,” Ms Bacik said.

The Labour Party’s think-in is taking place over Thursday and Friday in Wexford.

Thursday afternoon saw a session entitled “The Climate Challenge: Energy Security, Fuel Poverty and ‘Jobs for Good’” and another on “Working Towards a General Election”.

US political consultant and host of the Words to Win By podcast Anat Shenker-Osorio was due to address a session of the think-in via Zoom.

Friday morning sees a debate on the cost-of-living crisis and Budget 2023.