Childcare providers call for an end to freeze on fee increases

About €331m was allocated to core funding for this year in last year’s budget. Childcare businesses which sign up to access core funding must also commit to freezing their own prices. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA

A body representing childcare providers is calling for the freeze on fee hikes in the sector to be removed to enable struggling businesses can stay afloat.

Childhood Services Ireland (CSI), a branch of employers’ confederation Ibec, is also calling for increased investment in the sector up to 1% of GDP, in line with a recommendation by Unicef.