Labour proposes new childcare package

Labour have proposed a new payment of €50 a week for every parent with a young child as part of their childcare policy published today.

Their policy also includes plans for a free pre-school place for all three year-olds and extended paid parental leave.

The package will cost over €1.5bn, but the party's spokesperson on childcare Senator Kathleen O'Meara said it would be worth it.

“Childcare doesn't come cheap and at the moment we have one of the lowest childcare spends in the world,” she said.

“We are a wealthy country now, we can afford this and it’s time that we recognised the contribution of parents, the contribution of childminders and the essential need to have in place a quality accessible system of early childhood care and education which supports everyone; children, parents and the communities they live in.”