The latest increase to Ireland’s childcare subsidies will save parents €1,731 per year, the Children’s Minister has claimed.
The Government increased the National Childcare Scheme hourly subsidy from €1.40 to €2.14 in Budget 2024.
Nearly 10 months later, the change is finally due to kick in.
On Newstalk Breakfast Minister Roderic O’Gorman claimed that average childcare costs “will have fallen by up to half for most parents over the course of the last two years”.
“So, what it will practically mean is a monthly saving of around €144 per child where the family are using 45 hours of childcare per week," he said.
“In a full year, that will mean €1,731 - a substantial saving.”
Reform
Last week, the National Women’s Council called once again for the introduction of a public childcare model as a “commonsense solution to the childcare crisis currently engulfing the country”.
While Minister O’Gorman declined to endorse their call, he said he would like to see further reform to the sector.
“Coming towards the end of my turn in office, I’m very clear that the State actually has to do more,” he said.
“I would like to see a much greater role for the State.
“When the Green Party publishes its General Election manifesto, we’ll be setting out clearly what we would like to see happen here.”
A child in a crèche, 16-5-08. Image: Andia / AlamyOne possible reform could be for the State to introduce a legal right for early years education - similar to how the children have a right to receive a primary and secondary education.
“If we make it a legal right, that then places a much stronger obligation on the State to deliver it," the Green Party leader said.
“I would like to see in the future, the State providing early years education in areas where capacity doesn’t exist right now.”
According to the CSO, almost one-third of children under the age of 15 attend some form of childcare.
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Main image: Split of Roderic O'Gorman and a group of children from a nursery school. Picture by: Gary Hider / Alamy
