Fine Gael pushes forward with plans to reform delivery of early years education and childcare

Fine Gael wants to ensure the best start for every child and invest in high quality early years education and childcare and has launched a survey to consult with parents and industry stakeholders on their views.

The evidence is clear that investing in early childhood education reaps great rewards in later life, reduces educational inequalities, and enables women to fulfil their ambitions.

Fine Gael understands the pressures of juggling care, work, and life responsibilities, and parents need to be provided with options to choose what is right for them.

Government has already invested over €1.1bn in the sector, years ahead of its own investment targets, prioritising the preschool programme Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE), reducing costs for parents, increasing pay for childcare professionals, and improving supports for childcare providers.

Parents have been supported with a reduction in childcare fees, the introduction of paid Paternity Leave, and Parents Leave, an increased Home Carer Tax Credit, remote working options, and more.

An Taoiseach Simon Harris, leader of Fine Gael, said: “I’m very proud of the work that Fine Gael in government has done in terms of early years education and to reduce the costs of childcare, but I do think we now need to lift the scale of ambition. My vision is to make Ireland the best country in Europe to be a child.

“We know that access to early childhood education and quality childcare can be absolutely fundamental in ensuring every child can get off to a good start in life, and in terms of bridging inequalities in society.

“Building upon the State investment in the sector, we must now move to a more affordable, high quality, public early years education and childcare model.

“I want Fine Gael to make that shift and do what is in the best interests of our most precious citizens, children and their families, and move to a new stage in the development of childcare in this country.

“We are embarking on this consultation process with stakeholders, to ensure the change we enact is one that works for children, parents and crucially for early years educators who will deliver a service our children can thrive within.

“In making this shift, we will be able to improve the levels of support, training and pay for staff working in the sector who play a vital part in delivering quality care and education to our most precious citizens,” An Taoiseach concluded.

The plans will be developed by working with everyone in the sector and this consultation will form part of that work on informing how we propose to transition to a public early year’s education and childcare model.

Stakeholders are encouraged to submit their views by visiting www.finegael.ie/haveyoursay