The Fine Gael leader has promised voters an additional 30,000 more childcare places if his party is returned to Government.

 Taoiseach Simon Harris claimed his party will reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child if they get into Government.

He claimed the policy would cost €194 million over the lifetime of the next government.

On The Pat Kenny Show, Mr Harris said reducing costs is the "easy" part of addressing childcare issues in Ireland.

"The harder bit is actually the bigger spending plan we have for childcare in our manifesto, which is to both create new places and new staffing levels," he said.

"That’s going to involve, firstly, many multiples of that amount of money to reduce the cost.

"Secondly, that’s going to involve agreeing a proper pay structure and career structure for people working in childcare."

Mr Harris said the private and public childcare sectors will need "pay parity".

"We’re not saying to the private provider that you have to pay for it, we’re saying the State will work with you and subvent you in relation to that," he said.

Private childcare

The Fine Gael leader said he does not believe in eradicating private childcare facilities.

"Some parties are proposing all public – getting rid of private – I don't believe in that," Mr Harris said.

"I believe in a parent's choice and many private providers do a good job."

In addition to his promise to create 30,000 more childcare places, Mr Harris claimed a Fine Gael-led Government will open 100 more childcare facilities.

Childcare policies

Fianna Fáil has also pledged to cap childcare costs at €200 per month per child.

In their manifesto, they promise to offer legal protection to the ECCE scheme and to increase fudging for creches.

Sinn Féin, meanwhile, have promised to provide childcare costing €10 per day per child.

The party has also promised to "ramp up" capacity at childcare facilities and extend benefits to parents to care for their babies during the first year.

Earlier this month, Association of Childhood Professionals Chairperson Paula Donohoe urged parents to treat politicians' promises in relation to childcare with caution.

Parent taking a child to school, Alamy

Ms Donohoe told The Pat Kenny Show that these promises may just be "lovely soundbites".

“In the childcare sector, we would all welcome any relief for parents,” she said.

“We're hearing a lot of rhetoric, and I would caution around rhetoric.

“We would say, let's look at what's here with the very people who presided over childcare for many years now have watched it limp from crisis to crisis."

Ms Donohoe has said "underfunding" is the reason behind the crisis in childcare in Ireland.

Opinion polls

Ireland will go to the polls tomorrow to vote in the General Election, and according to the most recent poll, support for Fine Gael is sliding.

The Red C Business post poll said Fine Gael lost two percentage points and is polling at 20%, in a deadlock with Sinn Féin who gained two points.

Fianna Fáil are slightly ahead in terms of public support, with 21% according to this opinion poll.

Feature image: Simon Harris on Newstalk, 28/11/2024