Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Claire Kerrane TD, has said the government must support Sinn Féin’s plan to deliver childcare at €10 a day per child.

Deputy Kerrane was speaking ahead of this evening’s motion, which brings Sinn Féin’s proposals, launched last week, to the floor of the Dáil.

Sinn Féin’s fully costed plan would deliver subsidies to providers to bridge the gap between the actual cost of care and a €10 a day cap on fees charged to families, mirroring international precedents where costs have been cut for families.

Teachta Kerrane said:

“This evening’s debate offers the government the opportunity to drastically reduce costs for parents by delivering childcare at €10 a day per child.

“After 14 years of Fine Gael in government, childcare costs remain far too high, with some parents paying €1,500 a month on childcare fees.

“This is not sustainable and it is not fair. It is putting parents under huge financial pressure and forcing them to make decisions about work and careers that they should not have to.

“Our plan would increase the existing subsidy to bridge the gap between the actual cost of care and a €10 a day cap on fees charged to families. We have seen such caps work in Denmark, Sweden, and parts of Canada.

“The government also needs to take steps to urgently build capacity in the childcare sector. Currently, there are thousands of children on waiting lists for childcare places that simply do not exist.

“Our plan recognises that while affordability is key, you have to be able to actually access childcare in the first place. We propose to do this by increasing pay, being innovative in using the social enterprise model, and bringing more childminders into the sector.

“Sinn Féin’s childcare policy would increase hourly pay for Early Years Educators and all grades initially by €1.50, with a five-year government expenditure plan to make provision to fund further pay increases following sectoral negotiations.

“Professionals in the sector have been underpaid and undervalued for far too long, they are the backbone of the sector and deserve to be paid properly. If we do not do this, they will continue to leave the sector. We have to give them certainty for the future.

“Our motion also seeks the extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit with additional leave for one-parent families, ending current discrimination, to ensure that where a parent wishes to, they can spend the first year of their baby’s life with them.

“The lack of affordability, capacity and flexibility for parents are three key issues contributing to the major difficulties faced by the childcare sector.

“Sinn Féin has a plan on how these issues can be dealt with quickly and be a game-changer for parents in reducing costs.”

Sinn Féin’s plan ‘€10 A Day Childcare For All: Delivering Affordable Childcare For Parents’ is available to view here