Sinn Féin making up childcare policy on the go – Richmond

Sinn Féin have been accused of making their childcare policy up on the go after their belated manifesto launch.

Fine Gael Children spokesperson and General Election candidate for Dublin Rathdown, Minister Neale Richmond, said that Sinn Féin’s newfound commitment to a public childcare model will make no difference to parents across Ireland who need the public childcare places Fine Gael has promised.

Minister Richmond said:

“When Sinn Féin published their childcare policy, they made no mention of a public childcare model, instead they focused on catchy slogans rather than proper policy making.

“Today, after belatedly publishing their manifesto, Sinn Féin have now decided that they are in favour of a public childcare model, after their proposal was found wanting.

“Not only that, but their new-found commitment to public childcare is so half-baked that it commits only to establishing a group to discuss the options in a childcare model in the first 100 days of Government.

“The children of Ireland, indeed the parents of Ireland deserve better than this.

“Fine Gael have not only committed to capping childcare costs at €200 per child per month, with a family cap of €600 for those with more than three children, but we will also deliver 30,000 childcare spaces up to 2030 in our fully costed plan.

“Within the first 100 days Fine Gael are in office we will also hold a consultation with the childcare sector regarding setting fair and progressive wages for childcare workers in our new public settings.

“Fine Gael have a plan to not only make childcare more affordable, but provide more places, which we know parents across Ireland really need.

“Sinn Féin have no plan to deliver childcare places for parents across Ireland.

“Parents don’t need catchy slogans, they need thought out policy which Fine Gael has provided,” Minister Richmond concluded.