Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Claire Kerrane TD, has said that the childcare crisis will continue to worsen under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as their proposals fail to include childminders and totally lack credibility.

The majority of children in Ireland receive childcare from childminders, yet have been ignored in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s proposals.

Sinn Féin have outlined how a Sinn Féin led government would deliver childcare at a cost of €10 per day per child. Unlike Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, Sinn Féin’s plan includes ensuring childminders’ services cost €10 a day per child as well.

Claire Kerrane said:

“Sinn Féin have set out our plan to deliver childcare for €10 a day for each child. It is clear that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are now attempting to echo our plan, by pledging to cut prices. However, their pale imitation fails to get to grips with the core issues fuelling the crisis in childcare costs.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have no credibility on childcare costs, as prices have spiralled on their watch while they failed to act.

“The plans they have unveiled in recent weeks are not only vague about how they will cut costs for families, they also fail to include childminders.

“That is one of the big differences with Sinn Féin’s plan. In our plan, we have set out how we would deliver crèche-based care at €10 per day and we have put forward a concrete plan to bring childminders into the National Childcare Scheme as well. By delivering this, we would deliver childminders’ services for €10 a day too.

“The majority of children in Ireland receive childcare from childminders, and this would be a huge boost to capacity in early years education.

“Under Sinn Féin’s plan, we identified three key areas with respect to capacity in the sector. Namely, a recruitment and retention crisis caused by low wages for early years educators, viability issues for providers, and a lack of facilities. We have produced a large package to provide for fair wages for staff, to review core funding and ensure the viability of childcare providers, and to invest in new practices as well as expansion of existing practices.

“This approach ensures that there is enough capacity, so that all children who need a place can have one. By contrast, other parties have announced half-baked plans to cut costs while failing to address capacity. Their approach will mean further pressures on capacity and more stress and uncertainty for families, too many of whom are already struggling to find a childcare place for their child.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s announcement totally fails to get to grips with the capacity and affordable issues at the heart of the childcare crisis they have already mismanaged for years. It is clear that they have no credibility and will not be able to deliver the change families need.

“Voters face a clear choice at this election. It is a choice between more of the same from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, who have mismanaged childcare resulting in eye-watering costs for families. Or a vote for change under Sinn Féin, who have the detailed, costed and credible plan to deliver affordable childcare.”