€125m needed for early education

One of the country’s largest trade unions has called on the Government to take the special 9% Vat rate off the hospitality sector in the upcoming budget and invest the money gained in early childhood education.

Impact pointed out that, at 0.1% of GDP, Ireland’s spend on early childhood education puts it at the bottom of the OECD league table.

“Irish parents pay some of the highest childcare costs in the world, while most of those working within early education don’t even earn a living wage,” it noted.