Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1148. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase support for childcare costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36910/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Over the last three budgets (2016, 2017 and 2018), Government has increased investment in childcare by approximately 80%. It is critical that the Government continues to invest in the early years sector to benefit all children and family types and I am very much committed to continuing to push for this investment. The Affordable Childcare Scheme we are developing will provide us with a great infrastructure from which to support childcare costs for parents. Other initiatives introduced this year and last such as the expansion of the free pre-school scheme to two years and the introduction of universal payments for children under 3 are already having an impact.

Further investment in childcare is currently being considered in the context of the budget/estimates process.  As this process has not yet been finalised, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot go into specific detail on my plans.