NWCI welcomes Government proposals to tackle childcare crisis

Published: Tuesday, January 13, 2015

In response to media reports, NWCI today welcomes new proposals to make childcare more affordable but urges the Government to take action immediately rather than setting up another cross-departmental committee.

Orla O’Connor, Director of National Women’s Council of Ireland, said,

“Action on making quality childcare more accessible and affordable is long-overdue. Parents, particularly mothers can no longer afford to pay the crippling costs of childcare in Ireland. The introduction of the second free pre-school year and investment into out of school hours care are crucial first steps in order to alleviate the huge financial burden of childcare costs for working families in Ireland. It will also be important to closely link any new proposals with the introduction of paid parental and paid paternity leave in the upcoming Family Leave Bill.”

She continued,

“We urge the Government to take action on these proposals immediately. What is needed now is a swift, properly funded implementation plan that will ensure that Ireland has an accessible, quality childcare system.”

For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, National Women’s Council of Ireland, Tel. 085 858 9104.