Children and childcare a real priority in Budget 2016 – Keane

Fine Gael Dublin South West Senator, Cáit Keane, has said that children and childcare are a real priority in Budget 2016.

“€85 million in childcare measures were announced yesterday in Budget 2016, making children and childcare a real priority for the budget. These measures will reduce costs for hard working parents, helping to make work pay, as well as improving the quality of the care available to their children.

“A significant boost to gender equality was found in the Budget in the shape of the first ever paid paternal leave, to start from next September. While two weeks paternal leave for fathers is not a very lengthy period, it sets a precedent for how families are understood in this State. We have come a long way from the marriage bar and I hope this is just a first step towards longer paid paternal leave in the future.

“A €5 increase in child benefit, to €140 per child per month, will be of assistance to hard pressed families with children. I would like to see this benefit restricted to those who really need it; so that those who earn above a cap level would not have an entitlement, allowing those most in need to get a further increase. However that discussion is for another day.

“Other measures in Budget 2016, aimed at helping hard working parents are:

•     An extension of the free pre-school year, meaning free pre-school for all children from age 3 to primary school (there will be three windows for parents to enrol their children in the scheme – September, January and April)

•     Over €15m will be used to make pre-school more accessible for children who special needs

•     An extension of the Community Childcare Subvention Programme, which offers low income parents, reduced rates. 5,000 extra childcare places through private and community providers this year and 8,000 next year

•     A €3 million capital fund will support childcare providers to develop after-school services

•     There will also be a number of measures to improve the quality of childcare provision, including an audit of all childcare, increased inspections and investment in training for childcare workers.

“In addition to these childcare measures families will also benefit from a reduction in class sizes in primary school to 27 pupils to 1 teacher (the lowest level they have ever been), 2260 additional primary and post-primary teachers in 2016 and an extension of free GP care to all children under 12.

“Fine Gael is prioritising job creation, because more jobs mean less tax for people already working and more revenue to provide better services. Government action to help create an accessible and affordable childcare system is vital for people to be given the opportunity to return to the workforce.

“The last few budgets have been hard, but they have made it possible for Ireland to exit the bailout, reduce our debts, and move into a real recovery. The top priority of this year’s budget is to keep that recovery going, while providing relief and better services for the Irish people.”