Tax breaks and crèche subsidies proposed for parents

The Labour and Green parties have put forward proposals on childcare to a Government sub-committee that include tax breaks for parents, the extension of parental leave and crèche subsidies.

Green Party spokesman on family affairs Dan Boyle says a tax break of €150 per child per month is the fairest option to help parents meet childcare costs.

They proposed a refundable tax credit, which would be taken off tax for those in employment, or given as a direct payment for parents who stay at home.

“This would be a better approach as you are recognising people who choose to stay at home and do full time parenting, or they can use such a payment to involve other members of their family or outside people to engage in paid childcare,” Mr Boyle said

Labour wants the Government to extend parental leave to one year as in other European countries.

The party’s finance spokesperson Joan Burton said the Government also needs to ensure free, pre-school education for all children:

“The Labour party has proposed that every child from three in the year before going to primary school would have access to at least 20 hours a week of State-funded education,” she said.

The cabinet sub-committee is due to consider these proposals and other options to reform childcare policy at a special meeting in July.