Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Families do not need to see their childcare costs frozen; they need to see them reduced dramatically. Sinn Féin has launched a document, Delivering Affordable Childcare, which outlines how we, in government, would reduce fees by two thirds. That is the type of support families and workers need in the here and now. Ireland has higher childcare rates than almost anywhere else in Europe. In that context, it is an absolute travesty that the very professional and well-qualified workers in the sector are among the lowest paid of any of those with similar educational attainments. This needs to be dealt with by the Government setting a wage scale, in the same way as the Department of Education does for teachers and as operates in other areas as well. Will the new arrangements the Minister outlined be in place for September? I fear there may be further delays.

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