€1,000 promised for pre-schoolers

INCREASED parental leave and an annual payment of €1,000 to pre-school children form the central planks of Fine Gael’s new childcare policy launched at Millstreet at the weekend.

Outlining his party’s policy, which will cost an estimated €650 million a year, Fine Gael social and family affairs spokesman David Stanton said last week’s Irish Examiner childcare survey “paints a bleak picture”.

“Parents feel that their choices of childcare options are narrow. They are constrained by cost, availability and accessibility if they work outside the home, or the loss of income if they work as homemakers.”