'Increase in childcare scheme funding — but no preschool places'

Averil Sheehan of Care-a-lot Childcare outside Innishannon, Co Cork. Picture: David Creedon

For Averil Sheehan, the 44% increase in funding for the National Childcare Scheme which many parents took to be new funding was nothing of the sort.

The owner of Care-a-Lot Childcare in Upton, Co Cork says Budget 2025 actually gave very little to parents or childcare providers - the increase was announced previously.