Budget 2027: Minister hoping to 'make significant inroads' on childcare costs 

Minister for children, Norma Foley: 'I've had a number of engagements with the (public expenditure) minister and with his officials.' Photo: Julien Behal

The minister for children has said that she wants to see "significant inroads" made in moving childcare to a €200 per child per month model in next month's Budget.

The cap is laid out in the Programme for Government, but no moves were made in last year's Budget to bring down fees across the board, with Norma Foley's department focusing on maximum fees and entry thresholds to government schemes instead.

However, at a Shaping The Future forum on the industry, Ms Foley said she has been engaged with public expenditure minister Jack Chambers ahead of next month's Budget in a bid to cut costs for parents. She said she hopes to do this through the National Childcare Subsidy Scheme.

"I'd like to see us make significant inroads on that this year. We have the tools, we have the national childcare subsidy scheme. That's one. We have the maximum fee caps, and we have the income thresholds."

Ms Foley said she has been making her case to the Department of Public Expenditure (DPER) on the issue, but believes investment in childcare and early years education is necessary.

"I've had a number of engagements with the minister and with his officials. Very robust, very frank, very challenging at times, and I would expect that. DPER are very focused on value for money, and I know there's very many competing demands. 

"But I also have a focus on value for children and ensuring that our children are valued and they get the earliest opportunity to experience the maximum of potential and possibility in life.

"You can be absolutely assured, I'm fighting all the way to ensure that the maximum break is given to parents, that support is also there for the providers, and importantly that the supports are there for the staff who work in the sector as well."

The latest Irish Examiner Rural Ireland Thinks survey found 63% of respondents agreed the cost of childcare is an impediment to having children. That is up from 55% when the survey was taken in 2024.

Small-sized childcare providers and childminders say they feel they are being squeezed out due to the policy being pursued by government, while mothers have described the impact on their careers and lives due to a lack of childcare options.

• Paul Hosford, deputy political editor