Labour first proposed €200 monthly cap on childcare fees back in 2022, says Ivana Bacik

The party launched its childcare plan in which it outlined its proposal to cap fees and to deliver an additional 6,000 places a year while in government.

Both Sinn Féin and Fine Gael have said they would introduce similar price caps on childcare, but Ms Bacik said it was good to see other parties “coming on board and finding this interest in childcare”.

Party leader Ivana Bacik said Labour had first committed to a €200 cap two years ago in its alternative budget for 2023.

“Clearly, they’re getting the same costings we are. So it can be done. To me this is encouraging. It shows it can be done,” she said.

“But it does beg the question why this government hasn’t stepped up and addressed this huge issue for so many families sooner.”

A cap on fees could be brought in immediately, Ms Bacik said, and would cost €170m in 2025.

She said this would bring fees closer to the EU average.

At the same time, the party said it would begin the…

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Independent.ie