Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh na scoláirí ó Chonamara atá anseo. Is deas an rud é go bhfuil daoine ag tabhairt cuairte ar Thithe an Oireachtais arís. Tá an costas maireachtála ag cur brú millteanach ar oibrithe agus teaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit ar bhonn laethúil. Ní chuireann aon rud béim níos mó ar an dúshlán atá ar theaghlaigh ná an costas uafásach a bhaineann le cúram leanaí. I go leor áiteanna agus do go leor daoine, cosnaíonn sé sin níos mó ná dara morgáiste ná cíos míosa. I mBaile Átha Cliath, tagann táillí cúraim leanaí isteach ag níos mó ná €1,200 in aghaidh na míosa de réir suirbhé a rinne Newstalk ar na mallaibh. Ar fud an Stáit, tá na costais sin os cionn €800 in aghaidh na míosa ar an mheán. Is é sin an táille do pháiste amháin. Is í an fhírinne nach féidir le tuismitheoirí fanacht níos faide agus go gcaithfear táillí cúraim leanaí a laghdú go suntasach. Níos moille inniu, foilseoidh Sinn Féin ár bpolasaí, ina leagfar amach go soiléir an dóigh inar féidir linn táillí cúraim leanaí a ghearradh do theaghlaigh. Is féidir é seo a dhéanamh trí mhaoiniú suntasach a thabhairt don earnáil mar mhalairt ar na taillí a laghdú dhá thrian.

The cost-of-living crisis is crippling workers and families throughout the State on a daily basis. Nothing highlights the challenges faced by households more than the outrageous cost of childcare. It is the equivalent to, or sometimes more than, a second mortgage or a month's rent for many people. In Dublin childcare fees come in at more than €1,200 per month per child according to a recent Newstalk survey. Statewide they are more than €800 per month on average.

Many parents, especially women, are forced out of the workforce as they struggle to afford to go back to work due to these crippling costs, if they are lucky enough in the first place to be able to secure a place for their child. It is a scandalous situation and one that needs to be rectified. The reality is that parents cannot wait any longer for actions to reduce childcare fees. Later today, Sinn Féin will publish its policy proposals to set out how we can cut childcare fees so they are affordable for the many families who are being fleeced at present. This can be done by providing significant additional funding to the sector in exchange for the providers cutting fees by two thirds. This is in the gift of the Government.

If the Minister listened to "Morning Ireland" this morning or yesterday he would have heard the struggles of parents, staff and providers. They are at their wits' end. Parents cannot afford the fees they are being asked to pay. Highly-skilled staff are struggling financially to remain in jobs they love. Services are equally under enormous financial pressure to remain viable. The system is broken.

Our proposals would cut fees for parents and ensure that providers received crucial funding to invest in their services. They would also ensure fairer pay for a highly-educated workforce. A total of €270 million is the additional public investment required. It would be the best money spent in any budget. It would be an important investment in our children's future. It would be a major step in helping families hit by the cost-of-living crisis. It needs to be done. It must be done. Families simply cannot keep waiting for the Government to take this crisis seriously. It is time to cut childcare fees by two thirds. Does the Minister agree with me that this year's budget is the opportune time to slash childcare fees to ensure families get a much-needed break from these ludicrous costs? Will he commit to the ambition that we have spelled out and want to achieve and that Sinn Féin would deliver, which is cutting fees by two thirds?

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