Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Those exact same people can struggle with the bills. The best way to help those who struggle with the bills is to increase their income or reduce the amount of tax they pay and then they can decide what they spend it on, whether it is the mortgage, rent, childcare or energy costs, because everyone's finances are different. The advantage of pay increases and reducing personal taxation is that you can help everyone. That is why we stand over that decision.

I agree on childcare. That is why we brought in two years of early childhood care and education, ECCE, for all children, why we introduced the national childcare scheme and why there is a freeze on childcare fees this year. I believe that in the next budget, when we are in a position to do it, because we got the fundamentals right, we will be able to make a significant move on childcare as well.

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