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Childcare

public childcare model

Low pay and no places: Protesters at Dáil demand government fix 'broken' childcare system

Campaigners say the childcare system in Ireland is “broken”.

20 hrs ago

7.0k

sharing the burden

Analysis: The best way to reduce the gender pay gap is for fathers to have more paternity leave

Paul O'Donoghue

27 Apr

9.7k

The Morning Lead

Government approves fee hikes at nearly 20% of Ireland's childcare providers

Opposition TDs say that it flies in the face of promises to reduce childcare costs to €200 per month.

Lauren Boland and Conor O'Carroll

7 Mar

41.7k

Barometer 2025

Opinion: The public is ahead of government on the importance of Early Years and School Age Care

Frances Byrne

17 Feb

7.5k

letting children down

Parenting: Why are we letting parents off the hook for failure to pay child maintenance?

Margaret Lynch

Updated 27 Jan

13.0k

Childcare

Nine in ten Dublin businesses say childcare crisis is barrier to recruiting (and keeping) staff

13 Jan

9.8k

Childcare

Opinion: When it comes to early years education, we're waiting for the Donogh O’Malley moment

Grainne McKenna & Dr Sheila Garrity

4 Jan

11.7k

ge2024

Katriona O'Sullivan: So many children in poverty and Fine Gael's answer is a savings account?

Dr Katriona O'Sullivan

Updated 22 Nov 2024

13.8k

next government

Public sector workers call for four-day work week and wage increases beyond inflation

14 Nov 2024

48.4k

GE2024Policy time

Fine Gael matches Sinn Féin pledge to cap childcare at €200 per child in first year if re-elected

Updated 13 Nov 2024

12.5k

117

PodcastThe Candidate

Parents show great restraint not rioting over childcare

Courts

Childcare worker accused of ‘sickening’ attack on toddler in crèche

28 Oct 2024

66.4k

The Morning Lead

'I work part-time as I couldn't get childcare': Readers on what they'd like to see in the Budget

Tax reform, funding for childcare and healthcare and Apple’s money were common features from our readers’ suggestions.

Muiris O'Cearbhaill

20 Sep 2024

14.3k

New Rules

All childminders must be registered by 2027 and will only be allowed to look after six children

19 Sep 2024

42.0k

Childcare

Taoiseach says there is a 'roadmap’ to higher Child Benefit for low income families but not in Budget 2025

Updated 17 Sep 2024

10.6k

FF VS FG

Martin not a fan of Harris' 'half-baked' childcare plan and new Dept for Infrastructure idea

16 Sep 2024

19.1k

Cost of Living

Sinn Féin pledges to cap childcare costs at €10 per day and introduce 52 week parent's leave

12 Sep 2024

29.8k

117

budget 2025

Publicly funded childcare manifesto pledge and budget promises outlined at FG think-in

Updated 11 Sep 2024

14.3k

Childcare

Green Party leader says €560 'boost payment' for new parents would have 'meaningful impact'

9 Sep 2024

13.1k

childhood

Parenting: Supernanny is right about 'sharenting', child influencers and school routines online

Margaret Lynch

31 Aug 2024

17.2k

The Morning Lead

One Galway creche explains why it’s closing its doors despite childcare funding increases

Meanwhile, another Galway creche explained why it has left the government’s funding contract to go it alone and hike its fees.

Sheena Kenny closed the doors of her creche this week, labelling the Early Childhood Care and Education "death by a thousand cuts".

It brought increased paperwork and Kenny had to largely stop working directly with the children herself, instead spending her days in the office.

An increase in fees to cover running costs meant parents started putting their child in other larger, cheaper creches, which she couldn't compete with.

Mairead Maguire

31 Aug 2024

31.5k

National Childcare Scheme

Two years of childcare should be legal right says Minister as subsidies to kick in Monday

Updated 29 Aug 2024

32.3k

childcare crisis

Sinn Féin to publish policy on 'accessible and affordable childcare' in coming weeks

28 Jul 2024

10.4k

budget 2025

Free school books to be extended to Leaving Cert, as Harris says budget to target education costs

20 Jun 2024

14.2k

cabinet agenda

Building commencements on new homes hit approximately 18,000 in April alone, Cabinet to hear

14 May 2024

6.4k

The Morning Lead

Your stories: The stress, strain and heartbreak of trying to find childcare in Ireland

“Our unborn child is on a waiting list for two creches and four childminders – yes, a waiting list. No place is confirmed.”

Lauren Boland

6 Apr 2024

14.6k

your stories

Are you struggling to source affordable childcare? We want to hear your stories

2 Apr 2024

9.3k

childcare sector

Opinion: The budget gave us baby steps forward when a giant leap for young children was needed

Frances Byrne

12 Oct 2023

7.0k

budget 2024

'Many families' paying higher fees will not see 25% cut to childcare costs

11 Oct 2023

19.1k

budget 2024

A cut of twenty-five per cent in average creche costs announced for September 2024

10 Oct 2023

15.2k

The Morning Lead

'I am broken mentally, physically and financially': What readers want to see in Budget 2024

8 Oct 2023

59.4k

123

budget 2024

Finance Minister: 'People can be optimistic that their living standards are about to improve'

Updated 7 Oct 2023

25.4k

budget 2024

Further doubt cast over 25% childcare cost cut as Tánaiste fails to say if Govt will honour promise

5 Oct 2023

10.2k

budget 2024

O'Gorman to push hard for significant childcare fee cuts in meeting with Donohoe tomorrow

3 Oct 2023

12.6k

growing costs

O'Gorman doubles down on need for fee freeze as childcare providers protest at Leinster House

Updated 26 Sep 2023

24.0k

accommodation crisis

Minister says Govt 'under real pressure' to accommodate refugees in coming months

14 Sep 2023

11.6k

budget 2024

Tax package, energy and business supports to form part of October's giveaway budget

26 Jul 2023

20.4k

ComReg

Bluebell baby monitors 'no longer safe' as regulator issues recall

27 Jun 2023

18.7k

UK Budget

'Brexit pubs guarantee' and free childcare, what was in the UK's Budget?

15 Mar 2023

19.9k

gfa 25

Events to mark Good Friday Agreement anniversary planned amid speculation over Biden visit

31 Jan 2023

13.5k

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