Fine Gael has launched a €860 million childcare policy that proposes to cap costs at €200 per month per child, provide 30,000 extra places for early learning and pay an additional child benefit payment each August just before school returns.
It has also pledged to open 100 new State-run childcare facilities within two years.
Pre-school children will also receive an extra hour of free care each day under the ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) scheme.
The policy was launched in Dublin on Wednesday by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Minister of State Neale Richmond, and senators Mary Seery-Kearney and Emer Currie.
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All of the Oireachtas parties have now come forward with childcare packages pledging to reduce fees to about €200 per month and make more places available. There are difference in the model of provision, with Fine Gael proposing a mix of public and private models.
The cost of its proposals totals €860 million. Capping the cost of childcare at €200 per month per child, or at €600, if there are more than three children, will cost a total of €200 million each year. The provision of an extra 30,000 early learning places will cost €339 million under the proposal.
Like other parties, Fine Gael is also committing to offer hot meals in all schools, as well as providing holiday meal support for families that might need such support during the school holidays.
At the press conference, launching the policy, Ms McEntee also said the party would not only raise the rate of child benefit but examine a second tier of child benefit.
“We will offer pay-related rates of parents’ benefit to ensure that when parents are deciding to take parental leave, that the financial implications are not a factor.
“Again, we’re seeing that people are not taking parental leave because it’s not financially viable for them,” she said.
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Mr Richmond, who is the party’s spokesman on children, acknowledged that there was a lot of concern about the lack of places. “I’ve had far too many conversations, particularly with mums, who said, ‘We have just come out of our 20-week scan and we’re already getting on to the childcare providers’. That should not be like that.”
He said the provision of new places would be achieved partly by repurposing public building stock.
Senator Seery-Kearney said the party would commit to strengthening the powers of the child agency, Tusla, to ensure "that any child who is a victim of violence can get quick comprehensive support”.
Senator Currie said that for a proper functioning childcare model to work, it would need both public sector and private providers.
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