Fine Gael sets out vision to give children the best start in life

Ministers Helen McEntee and Neale Richmond, alongside Senators Emer Currie and Mary Seery Kearney, have today (Wednesday), set out Fine Gael’s plans to reform childcare provision, reduce child poverty and make Ireland a better place to raise a child.

Fine Gael will create 30,000 public childcare places, and introduce a €200 monthly cap on childcare per child, with families with more than three children paying no more than €600. A permanent double child benefit paid in August will help parents with back-to-school costs and pay-related Parents Benefit will help parents when availing of leave.

Minister Helen McEntee said: 

“The first years of a child’s life have a profound impact on who they will become. Fine Gael believes that every child deserves the best start in life.

“Fine Gael will have a determined focus to lift children out of poverty. We will set an ambitious child poverty target, increase the rate of Child Benefit, expand Hot School Meals to all schools and tackle holiday hunger as well as further extending free GP care.

“Giving children the best start in life also means supporting parents and families. Fine Gael will introduce a permanent double child benefit, paid in August to help families with back-to-school costs.

“We will extend paid family leave and introduce pay-related rates of Parents Benefit to ensure that financial implications of taking this leave are not a factor for parents when choosing to spend valuable time with their families. This will be done alongside extending Jobseekers Support for parents, as well as examining a second tier of child benefit.

Minister Neale Richmond, Fine Gael Childcare Spokesperson, said:

“Across the country, highly skilled childcare professionals are caring for our children every day. I have seen first-hand the training, the effort and the care they put into their work, and they deserve pay that reflects this. Fine Gael will continue to support pay increases for childcare staff, but we will also conduct a full review of wages to set fair and progressive wages for childcare educators in the public services.

“Fine Gael will cap childcare costs at €200 per month per child and €600 per month per family of more than three children, but we know that for many parents, accessing a childcare place remains a huge issue. This is why Fine Gael believes that it is time for the State to step up and become a full participant in childcare provision.

“We will create 30,000 new childcare places, with at least 100 of these public services being provided in the first two years of Government. We will also extend the National Childcare Scheme to all childminders to ensure that parents who utilise their service will also avail of €200 childcare.

“These public places will be created in Local Authority and State-owned buildings, and Fine Gael will ensure there is a dedicated provider in all new schools and a public childcare facility in all LDA developments. We will ensure these childcare facilities are created in the areas where they’re needed the most.

“These places will be available for children of all abilities. We will improve access to childcare for children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged families.

“Fine Gael will provide an extra hour of free care each day for children in the second year of pre-school under the ECCE scheme, and we will introduce flexibility for parents of children who currently do not receive their full two-year ECCE entitlement due to the time of year they were born.

“Fine Gael established the Department of Children, we established the National Childcare Scheme; we have long been committed to improving the lives of children in Ireland.”

Senator Emer Currie said: 

“Parents need certainty in their childcare arrangements, that they will be able to secure and avail of care for their child when needed. That is why Fine Gael’s public childcare places will be available to parents 52 weeks a year, for a full day, including after-school care, which is so crucial for working parents.

“We have worked with private childcare providers to reduce the cost of childcare for parents and expand access, and we will continue to work with them in the future as they remain an essential pillar in our childcare model. However, Fine Gael will also create an opt-in model for those in the private sector who are retiring or not in a position to continue their service, to opt into our public model where appropriate.

“Fine Gael have also committed to providing Baby Bundles to newborns across Ireland. This box of essentials for new parents and babies will ensure that every child in Ireland, no matter who your parents are or where you are born, has the essentials they need for a fair start in life.”

Senator Mary Seery Kearney said: 

“Fine Gael will protect the children of Ireland, by strengthening Tusla’s powers on preventing violence against children, and ensure that Tusla has the funding to recruit and retain vital staff numbers and ensure that we have a Child-Friendly system from our legal system to reporting violence and abuse in education and care settings.

“Fine Gael will ensure that Tusla can provide strong protection for the most vulnerable children across Ireland.

“As a party, we are committed to building a safe and secure online environment that protects all citizens, but especially children who are particularly at risk online.

“We will also drive the establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority, commence the Assisted Human Reproduction legislation within the first 100 days of Government, and introduce leave for parents through surrogacy.”