The coalition parties\u2019 election promise of a \u20ac200 per month cap on childcare fees is looking hollower each passing day as discord spreads between Fine Gael and Fianna F\u00e1il, according to Social Democrats children\u2019s spokesperson Aidan Farrelly.<\/p>\n
Deputy Farrelly said:<\/p>\n
\u201cFamilies are paying an average of \u20ac190 a week for childcare while rival government children\u2019s spokespersons quarrel over the delivery of the same election promise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s looking more and more likely that the Irish people were sold a lie in the lead up to November, with even the Fine Gael whip questioning the government\u2019s commitment to making childcare affordable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government has the power and the funds to reduce childcare to \u20ac200 per month but has shown no political will towards doing so in a hurry, despite exorbitant fees pushing more and more families into poverty with each passing day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have continuously requested the formation of a special time-bound joint Oireachtas committee called Paistecare to map out the delivery of programme for government commitments on childcare and early years education – to date, this hasn’t happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung families are desperately struggling to get a childcare place for their children, hindering their ability to balance work and family life.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor those who do manage to secure childcare, they face sky-high fees, putting a huge strain on family finances – the effects of the cost of living crisis are bad enough without having to pay enormous sums just to be able to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout the election, the T\u00e1naiste was adamant that we need a public model of childcare – there\u2019s not a peep out of him now on if or when this will be delivered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn April, I wrote to the Taoiseach, Chief Whip and Minister for Children to urge them to consider the formation of a Paistecare committee to decide a vision of delivering a public model of childcare that works for parents, children and childcare workers, but my request was denied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe solutions to this crisis are looking the government in the face – a lack of political will is the only reason families are charged outrageous prices for childcare.\u201d<\/p>\n
June 26th, 2025<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The coalition parties\u2019 election promise of a \u20ac200 per month cap on childcare fees is looking hollower each passing day as discord spreads between Fine Gael and Fianna F\u00e1il, according to Social Democrats children\u2019s spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: \u201cFamilies are paying an average of \u20ac190 a week for childcare while rival government children\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396,296,540,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aidan-farrelly","category-childcare","category-children","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n