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

In terms of our accounts, when it comes to early years childcare and early education, the budget for next year for the first time will exceed €1.1 billion. When this Government came to office, it was €0.63 billion. There has been a 70% increase in investment in just over three years. That is really considerable. What does that mean for parents? It means by next September the average family will pay half what they paid for childcare than when this Government was re-elected. That is a considerable achievement with huge societal benefits and benefits for children, families and the economy more widely. Of course, we want to build on that but, as the Deputy says, there are competing priorities. We will have to see where we stand next August-September when we prepare the next budget.

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