Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

From September 2020, will any parents have a lower benefit under the new scheme than they have under the existing schemes?

I agree with the principle of universality, which is a good thing because it means that society as a whole has a buy-in for something. Therefore it is good to go for universality. However, this problem arises for half-universality because it gives a subsidy but to a system that is controlled by private operators who are entitled to hike up the prices as they wish in a sector with very low-paid workers. This problem comes down to the State trying to enable some form of universal access but through private providers. Is the answer not to move to a national childcare service and to provide access to childcare as a State provision free at the point of use?

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