Labour urges Coalition to keep childcare vows

A Labour Party councillor in Cork city has accused the Government of failing to deliver on its election promises regarding childcare.

It comes amid reports that one in five childcare service providers nationally has been given approval by the Government to increase its fees.

Then children’s minister Roderic O’Gorman said last July that “where a demonstrable need to increase a fee is confirmed, the resulting increase will not exceed €0.74 per hour”.

This means that an offering of 45 hours could be eligible for an increase of up to €33.30 a week, which would be more than €1,700 a year.

The increases are being permitted to help providers who have been stuck in a fee freeze for years despite rising costs of doing business, which has seen many childcare providers go out of business.

However, the cost of childcare for families was a key issue in the last election.

Councillor John Maher told The Echo that families are struggling with one of the most expensive childcare systems in Europe, adding: “Parents in Glanmire, Mayfield, and Ballyvolane are already at breaking point.

“They are paying hundreds of euro each month for childcare — when they can even find a place. Yet, instead of delivering on their election promises, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are allowing fees to rise further.”

He said that the State pours €1.3bn into the sector, “yet parents still pay extortionate fees, and early-years educators remain underpaid”.

He added: “No one is winning in this broken system. Labour has long called for a publicly funded, high-quality childcare system that guarantees affordability for parents and fair pay for staff. Instead of approving fee increases, the Government should be investing in real solutions.

“Minister [Norma] Foley must honour her election promises and commit to reducing childcare costs to €200 per month. Families in Cork and across Ireland need urgent action, not empty rhetoric.”