What the political parties say about childcare

Fianna Fáil has not revealed its hand as yet on the childcare issue – this, presumably, will be done in the forthcoming Budget. The party states that the Government will continue to support parents by providing more child benefit, more childcare places in every county and by investing in early education.

Fine Gael has a plan in embryo. It proposes to increase dramatically the level of paid leave parents can take in the vital first year of their child's life; to provide financial support to parents who care for children in their own homes; and they promise to assist with the additional costs faced by parents who use childcare outside the home. It says that will improve the supply and quality of childcare and pre-school education. The party recognises that there are a large number of childminders working informally and that their work needs to be formally appreciated as a rewarding career option.

Sinn Féin proposes the establishment of universal State provision of pre-school for all children and an extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks paid and 26 weeks unpaid. The party is also proposing to increase maternity benefit to 80 per cent of earnings; introduce paid paternity entitlements of two weeks per child and increase adoptive leave to 24 weeks paid and 26 weeks unpaid. It also proposes payment during parental leave, an increase in child benefit and funding for an Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme.

The Green Party proposes giving a €150 per child per month refundable tax credit to every family, regardless of childcare arrangements and providing parents with the option to stay at home in the early years of a child's life through increasing parental leave. It proposes a flexible range of financial supports to give parents maximum choice and proposes making financial provision for parents who wish to employ childminders or who want to stay at home to care for their own children. It is also proposing an increased provision of workplace-based crèches.

The Labour Party has proposed the establishment of a national child-centred system of childcare and pre-school education in support of parental choice. Proposals include a year's paid parental leave for up to one year, with an option for fathers to take part of the time and the provision of free pre-school education for every child.

The introduction of an Early Years Subsidy (refundable tax credit) of €50 a week for children from birth to primary school and an Early Years Subsidy of €25 a week for primary school children up to the age of 12 are also recommended.

The Progressive Democrats policy on childcare aims to give parents the maximum choice and flexibility when deciding how their children should be cared for and by whom. The party says increasing the supply of places is key to alleviating the childcare problem. The party is proposing a tax exemption of €8,000 per year (or €650 per month) to encourage people to mind children in their own homes. They are also proposing incentives which they say will increase the number of childcare places. The party wants to guarantee funding for pre-school childcare and to open up school premises for childcare schemes.