Publicly funded childcare would be a gamechanger for mothers and children

Chief executive of the National Women's Council Orla O'Connor at the launch on Thursday of Together for Public, a new campaign advocating for a public system of early childhood education and care. Picture: Alan Rowlette / RollingNews.ie

Imagine if every child in Ireland had an early years and afterschool place that was high quality, accessible, and affordable. 

Imagine the professional looking after them worked in a secure, well-paid position, commensurate with their qualifications. 

Imagine that every parent could combine child-rearing with paid leave to provide a decent work-life balance.

But right now in Ireland, many parents and children are not able to access the early childhood care and education they deserve. 

Women are disproportionately affected by this. 

Many mothers are forced to make difficult decisions around work, education, and public participation because of the crisis in the system.

It doesn’t have to be like this.

The National Women’s Council is launching Together for Public, a new Alliance for Public Early Years Education and Care. 

In the Nordic countries, and in many countries across the EU, public childcare has been transformative. 

A huge breadth of stakeholders are involved, from children’s advocates to anti-poverty groups, trade unions to academics, and, of course, feminist organisations.

Our vision is for an Ireland where every child is guaranteed a quality, affordable place in early years education through legislation, similar to our primary school system. 

The childcare would start whenever parents need it and include school-aged childcare. 

It would deliver early years education and care to all children, including children with additional needs, and those living in rural or disadvantaged areas.

We want to see an Ireland where mothers — and all parents — can participate fully in society, not only in the workplace, but also in education, the arts, sports, and the community and political spheres. 

And where early years educators have decent wages and working conditions.

This new system of public childcare must be combined with better-paid maternity, paternity, and other family leave so parents have real choices when it comes to caring for their children.

Family leave must be flexible enough for lone parents, or other carers and guardians, to be able to avail of the full leave entitlement too. 

And we want to see a right to flexible working conditions to support parents' work-life balance.

Not only do these measures have countless proven benefits for children’s development, but public childcare has also been shown time and again to be a huge driver of women’s equality. 

Put simply, public early years education and care allows mothers to participate fully in society.

Women still main caregivers

Women are still the main caregivers for children in Ireland. 

In the 2022 Census, almost a quarter of a million women said they looked after the family home, compared to 27,495 men. And 86% of lone parents in Ireland are women. 

When women cannot access support with childcare, they end up making difficult decisions like leaving work or education, taking up part-time roles, or curtailing their involvement in the arts, sports, or activism.

The profit-driven childcare model currently operating in Ireland has resulted in a crisis with a significant impact on people’s lives

In the Nordic countries, and in many countries across the EU, public childcare has been transformative. 

Legislation recognising early education as a universal right and guaranteeing a place for every child is a gamechanger. 

Not just for children — although the benefits in terms of children’s wellbeing are well-documented — but for women, and society.

In contrast, the profit-driven model currently operating in Ireland has resulted in a crisis with a significant impact on people’s lives. 

Childcare costs here are among the highest in the EU, with many parents struggling to pay for other essentials such as rent, bills, and groceries. 

Staff turnover is high, driven by low pay and poor conditions for the largely female workforce. 

And for children, many are simply not getting the care they need. 

Childcare blackspots

Rural and disadvantaged areas can be childcare blackspots, and children with additional needs may often have to travel long distances to access care, if they can find appropriate care in the first place.

A public, not-for-profit system — which initially would run alongside the current system of private and community provision — would solve many of these issues. 

We are realistic about this — it is a massive undertaking and requires political will to do it. It would require systematically building, expanding, and running public services alongside private and community provision during the transition. 

But it can be done, and indeed is already a reality for many children and parents across the EU.

We are calling for a pilot scheme to be announced in Budget 2025 to be rolled out in areas underserved by private provision. 

In line with the not-for-profit nature of the system, fees should be affordable, and better conditions for staff should be guaranteed.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

In the run-up to the next general election, our alliance wants to see a commitment to a public system guaranteed through legislation in every single political party manifesto.

Public early education and care is a public good — like the rest of our education system. It’s time to start thinking about it in those terms.

• Orla O'Connor is director of the National Women's Council