Q&A: Shedding light on two new childcare schemes

Irish Examiner reporter, Claire O'Sullivan, on everything you need to know about the childcare schemes announced in Budget 2017.  

Can you explain the new childcare schemes?

The two new schemes have been introduced under the umbrella single affordable childcare scheme. They haven’t been given individual names yet so we’ll call them “the first scheme” and “second scheme”. The first scheme is the “universal” open-to-all childcare scheme. It is open to all, even if you and your partner are both hospital consultants with a total household income of €480,000 per year.