Childcare

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Childcare

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Children’s Minister Norma Foley welcomed the development. Picture: Niall Carson/PA</p>

news

Labour body proposes 10% rise in minimum pay for childcare workers

Children’s Minister Norma Foley welcomed the development, after highlighting that not all of a €45m ring-fenced allocation was being used for pay and conditions

<p>The Programme for Government commits to growing State involvement and investment in the sector as well as gradually bringing fees down to €200 a month over the lifetime of the Government</p>

politics

Government deny dragging their feet on childcare reform

<p>Creches and childminders are often not an option given the unsociable hours worked by parents.</p>

news

Workers doing unsociable hours face difficult childcare choices

Publicly funded childcare would be a gamechanger for mothers and children

comment-analysis

Publicly funded childcare would be a gamechanger for mothers and children

Elaine-Loughlin

Elaine Loughlin: Nothing new? Simon Harris faces a tough sell ahead of election

Irish childcare costs

politics

Parents to pay '€10 a day for childcare' under Sinn Féin plan

Cabinet meeting

Paul Hosford: why childcare is the new political battleground

With the issue of childcare joining the litany of election-focused crises, could the ability to gain quick favour be behind its focus?

Thu, 12 Sep, 2024

New childcare subsidies may save families up to €1.7k per year from next week

New childcare subsidies may save families up to €1.7k per year from next week

Minimum subsidy for under-15s will rise more than 50% from €1.40 to €2.14 an hour

Fri, 30 Aug, 2024

Child playing with mathematical toy

S Paul Hosford: Time to put our broken childcare system back in the hands of the State

It’s not sustainable for parents to pay €12,000 a year for one child at a creche, and so the National Women’s Council has suggested that the State provide childcare services

Sat, 24 Aug, 2024

Childcare facilities face going 'insolvent' due to lack of Government support

Childcare facilities face going 'insolvent' due to lack of Government support

Currently, childcare providers who accept core funding cannot increase existing prices beyond a strict limit of €33.30 per week

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Childcare report

Childcare providers call for an end to freeze on fee increases

In its pre-budget submission to the Government, Childhood Services Ireland said it wants a 35% increase in core funding or the removal of the fee freeze, or both

Mon, 22 Jul, 2024

Child playing with mathematical toy

Pay rises this month for 30,000 childcare and early learning workers

There will be increases in minimum pay across various roles, including early years educators and school-age childcare workers who will see rates increased from €13 to €13.65 per hour

Sun, 02 Jun, 2024

Grandmother and grandchild cooking

Consumer Corner: Should grandparents be paid for minding their grandkids?

Childcare can be expensive — an Early Years Sector report says it can cost just over €700 a month for each child

Wed, 20 Mar, 2024

Homemade cooking. Woman in the kitchen cutting red onions on a c

S Sarah Harte: Why does it boil down to who cooks the dinner?

Supposedly our upcoming referendum will achieve a greater gender balance but will do no such thing. Instead, it’s another slap in the face for Irish women.

Wed, 10 Jan, 2024

MSPs debate child care plans

Chartered accountants urge boost to childcare provision

The professional institute said Government measures could go a long way to encourage more women, who face paying childcare bills of up to €2,000 a month, to join the labour force

Fri, 05 Jan, 2024

Irish Budget 2024

Giveaways and tax breaks: €6.4bn budget could be the last before a general election

Budget 2024 has targeted the ‘squeezed middle’ with measures including income tax reductions, three €150 universal energy credits, substantial investment in childcare, and the expansion of the free schoolbooks scheme

Wed, 11 Oct, 2023

College professor near white board

Budget to introduce free Junior Cycle school books and cuts to college and childcare fees

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has secured a 25% reduction in childcare fees, but it is expected that parents will not see the reduction applied until around September of next year.

Tue, 10 Oct, 2023

Cianan Brennan: What's the point of cutting childcare costs if providers can't afford to stay open?

Cianan Brennan: What's the point of cutting childcare costs if providers can't afford to stay open?

Childcare professionals protesting at Leinster House were both frustrated and irritated, most notably with Roderic O’Gorman, over the failure of core funding to alleviate cost pressures on services, writes Cianan Brennan

Thu, 28 Sep, 2023

Children's minister rules out ending fee freeze in childcare sector amid protests

Children's minister rules out ending fee freeze in childcare sector amid protests

Roderic O’Gorman said the current system was 'absolutely central' to the Government’s core funding policy for the sector

Tue, 26 Sep, 2023

Childcare services have come along way despite decades of underinvestment — O'Gorman

Childcare services have come along way despite decades of underinvestment — O'Gorman

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has said that childcare services in Ireland have come a long way as the sector was historically underinvested in “for decades”.

Tue, 26 Sep, 2023

4,000 people expected to converge on Leinster House as part of childcare protest

4,000 people expected to converge on Leinster House as part of childcare protest

Federation of Early Childhood Providers chairwoman Elaine Dunne accused the Government of supporting "the bureaucratic administrations, rather than the care and education of young children".

Tue, 26 Sep, 2023

Childcare issues

Parents to call for affordable, public childcare in National Day of Action

The National Women's Council is also calling for the promised 25% cut in childcare costs

Tue, 19 Sep, 2023

Jennifer Horgan: For the sake of Ireland's children, let's march in solidarity with their carers

Jennifer Horgan: For the sake of Ireland's children, let's march in solidarity with their carers

People spend four years attaining professional qualifications but they can’t afford to live on the wages

Fri, 15 Sep, 2023

East Wall Protests

Roderic O'Gorman: Parents should not expect 25% cut in childcare fees in Budget 2024

Children's minister says cutting costs for parents is not the only focus, and he is also seeking to increase capacity by bringing childminders into the national childcare scheme

Thu, 10 Aug, 2023

Child playing with colorful toys at the learning center or in kindergarten

Closure of popular Cork creche causes 'stomach-churning' stress for parents

One mother who has two children currently attending the creche said she has been in tears since she received the news

Wed, 02 Aug, 2023

Budget to favour public services with €4bn extra for core spending

Budget to favour public services with €4bn extra for core spending

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman is pushing for a cut of up to 25% in childcare costs

Tue, 04 Jul, 2023

Staffing issues may force 'hundreds' of childcare firms to close

Staffing issues may force 'hundreds' of childcare firms to close

The childcare sector is threatened by chronic staff shortages and rising costs, warned Tigers Childcare CEO Karen Clince

Tue, 06 Jun, 2023

More than 1,000 'baby bags' distributed to foster parents for children in care

More than 1,000 'baby bags' distributed to foster parents for children in care

Tusla said the bags contain 'a pack of muslin cloths, nappies of different sizes, baby wipes (without alcohol or perfume) and footed sleep suits'

Tue, 09 May, 2023

Roderic O'Gorman

Parents who use childminders will get State subsidy

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has received Cabinet approval for proposals that would change the legal status of childminders

Wed, 01 Feb, 2023

Childcare issues

Northern Irish parents ‘rely more on family for childcare’ than those in Ireland

Parents in Northern Ireland are more reliant on family and friends for childcare than those in Ireland, a study has found.

Mon, 30 Jan, 2023

Child playing with mathematical toy

Planning changes will force developers to deliver more creches

The planning laws requiring developers to provide a childcare facility as part of large housing developments is "not delivering as well as it should", said Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman.

Sun, 11 Dec, 2022

Parents forced to book creche places before birth as Labour calls for intervention

Parents forced to book creche places before birth as Labour calls for intervention

Ivana Bacik calls for 'Donogh O'Malley' moment for pre-school education

Wed, 07 Dec, 2022

Grieving families to face indefinite wait for report into incinerated organs

Grieving families to face indefinite wait for report into incinerated organs

The families were previously told they would have access to a draft report by the end of September

Thu, 17 Nov, 2022

Childcare providers close their doors to protest over 'funding shortfall'

Childcare providers close their doors to protest over 'funding shortfall'

Some 260 childcare services across Ireland are expected to close completely in the coming year, due to State subsidies failing to account for rising energy costs, staffing overheads, and other inflation-linked pressures

Fri, 11 Nov, 2022

Elaine Loughlin: Retrofit plan will go up in smoke if we can’t find people to do the work

Elaine Loughlin: Babies' visits to Oireachtas highlight childcare challenges that parents face

Parents — notably, both mothers — brought their babies along to their workplace in the Dáil and Seanad recently. Their visits underline how far we have to go to facilitate all working parents

Tue, 11 Oct, 2022

That’s how she got her pre-baby body back

Joyce Fegan: Why is the 'juggle struggle' an accepted way of life?

This week a study found that Ireland ranked second worst out of 38 OECD countries for parental leave and worst for public family policies

Sat, 08 Oct, 2022

'A male carer can be just as safe, caring, and responsible': Would you hire a male nanny?

'A male carer can be just as safe, caring, and responsible': Would you hire a male nanny?

Jonathan deBurca Butler looks at the advantages of having a manny — and the reasons why they're a rare breed

Mon, 03 Oct, 2022

A person calculating the cost of living with a phone calculator and a desk full of bills and till receipts.

One-off budget measures will 'insulate' families from price rises

ESRI: Measures will 'substantially cushion' incomes but most of the permanent changes to tax and welfare benefit those on higher wages

Fri, 30 Sep, 2022

Childcare payments

Parents using childminders will not see same cost cuts as those using creches until end of 2023

The increased funding will take up to €2,106 per child off the current price parents are paying in fees each year

Listen | Wed, 28 Sep, 2022

Budget 2023: 'It's crumbs, really. Nice, but not enough'

Budget 2023: 'It's crumbs, really. Nice, but not enough'

IT manager Niamh and her partner say they will be sticking with the childminder despite the offer of increased childcare payments in the budget.

Wed, 28 Sep, 2022

Linda O’ Sullivan ,Special Needs Assistant.

Energy credit reaction: 'I used to pay €92 for gas, but that has gone to €152 in a month'

Although she is generally positive about the budget, lone parent Linda O’Sullivan says: "When January hits, that’s when we’ll see what the budget really did."

Wed, 28 Sep, 2022

Here's everything you need to know about Budget 2023

Here's everything you need to know about Budget 2023

From childcare, welfare, healthcare to targeted cost-of-measures - here are the main takeaways from today's budget

Tue, 27 Sep, 2022

Child playing with mathematical toy

Joyce Fegan: Childcare measure in budget is hardly a game-changer

Bringing the 50c an hour to €1.40 an hour is a big step, but the lived reality of doing paid work while rearing a family in Ireland is a complicated manoeuvring of many moving parts

Tue, 27 Sep, 2022

Close up focus on wrinkled male hand signing paper document.

Welfare boost, rent credit, and new GP cards in budget for 'uncertain and difficult times'

Pensions and other welfare payments up by €12 a week and renters to get €1k tax credit — and expansion of GP card scheme marks a step towards universal healthcare

Tue, 27 Sep, 2022

Here are the main provisions of tomorrow's €10bn budget

Here are the main provisions of tomorrow's €10bn budget

These are the key initiatives expected in tomorrow's €10bn package — concerning everything from pensions and childcare to housing, energy prices, income tax, and education

Mon, 26 Sep, 2022

Boost childcare pay, recognise women's work in the home, says Rethink Ireland boss

Boost childcare pay, recognise women's work in the home, says Rethink Ireland boss

"Our attitude to childcare must change. Too many women struggle without the flexibility and means to work outside the home," says Rethink Ireland CEO

Fri, 23 Sep, 2022

Labour want to cap childcare costs at €200 a month and €9 a month public transport ticket

Labour want to cap childcare costs at €200 a month and €9 a month public transport ticket

The party is proposing a €400 carbon tax credit, an increase in social welfare rates by €20 from October, and a double payment in October and December

Thu, 22 Sep, 2022

Childcare issues

New €13 per hour minimum rate will mean pay rise for 70% of childcare staff

Workers' representatives welcome 'historic' pay deal but emphasise that this is only the first step in an under-funded sector

Wed, 07 Sep, 2022

Mother and baby homes

New wage deal for childcare workers set to be signed off in next few weeks

A crisis in the childcare sector has seen many providers struggling to retain staff

Thu, 25 Aug, 2022

Almost 40% of childcare workers looking for jobs outside the sector

Almost 40% of childcare workers looking for jobs outside the sector

Childcare facilities are struggling to recruit staff, with 68% of managers and owners finding it 'extremely difficult' to hire and keep workers due to low pay and conditions.

Mon, 22 Aug, 2022