Political Parties Issue Competing Childcare Policy

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Childcare is the latest policy area to cause political parties to issue competing policies.

Sinn Féin are proposing a plan to deliver childcare at a cost of €10 a day per child.

The party says the fully-costed plan is ready to be delivered in the first year of Government.

The 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. 

Sinn Fein says the policy change would cost €345 million to deliver.

Deputy Martin Browne highlights  the policy  would ensure childcare is affordable for families  with costs expected to drop from €800 a month to €200 in the case of a child attending childcare full time five days a week. 

Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach Simon Harris is also proposing that a public childcare system be set up and is being accused of taking the policy idea from Government colleagues in the Green Party.

The Current Government has introduced a new funding model for Childcare but providers claim the scheme is not viable in the long term while parents continue to face high fees.