Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that wages account for 70% of costs on average. The wage subsidy scheme is meeting 82% of staff costs in this emergency. In this way, we have acted to ensure that even as numbers in childcare fall, as parents lose their jobs or work at home and no longer need childcare services as much or are just nervous about the current situation, we are continuing to support childcare providers across the country with this very significant package. We are doing that in the immediate term until 31 January on the new rates and also on an ongoing basis until 31 March 2021 to keep the sector sustainable.

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