3 November 2024
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Labour’s candidate for Cork South West, Evie Nevin, has called for urgent reform in the childcare sector following Labour’s launch of a comprehensive plan to introduce a publicly provided childcare system. Across Ireland, parents are struggling to access affordable, reliable childcare, and Labour’s proposal seeks to address this growing crisis.
Nevin said:
“Under the current Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government, parents in West Cork and beyond are often paying the equivalent of a mortgage each month for childcare—this is simply unsustainable for many families. Labour is leading the charge to make high-quality childcare a right, not a privilege, moving away from the profit-driven model that dominates the sector.
“That’s why two years ago, Labour proposed a monthly cap on childcare costs of €200 per child—the equivalent of €50 per week or €10 per day. We’re relieved to see other parties finally catching up with us on the urgency of the childcare crisis.”
“In Cork South West and nationwide, parents are crying out for a childcare system that works for them, not against them. Although funding for childcare is set to reach nearly €1.4 billion by 2025, most of it is channeled into private, for-profit services. Families are paying dearly for what should be a public service. This must change. It’s time we recognised childcare as a basic service and invested in it as such.
“Parents in West Cork shouldn’t be struggling to find a place for their child. Labour’s vision is to create 6,000 new public childcare places each year, supported by 100 new services annually and employing around 11 staff members per service. This would add up to 30,000 new places over five years. For the parents in our community, this means relief from the costly and often stressful search for quality care. Labour will invest approximately €53 million per year, with operational costs projected to reach €300 million over five years to make this vision a reality.”
Nevin continued, “Childcare staff are the backbone of this sector. We must support the dedicated, skilled professionals caring for our children and nurturing their early development. A well-funded public system will allow us to retain talented educators, providing stability for children and families. Labour’s plan seeks to address this by ensuring fair pay and the resources necessary for quality care.”
Labour’s proposal includes a long-term vision for an agency dedicated to early years education and school-age care. This agency would oversee the development of public childcare services across Ireland, shifting responsibility to a national level and ensuring consistent investment.
“Labour’s public childcare plan will eventually shift responsibility to a new national agency, ensuring ongoing development and investment in public childcare facilities,” Nevin added. “With a minimum of €70 million annually earmarked for a capital building programme, we’ll work to co-locate these new services with existing schools wherever possible, building a robust system to meet families’ needs in Cork South West and across Ireland.”
Labour believes in a society that values care, ensuring every child has access to early years education on par with our European counterparts.
As Nevin concluded, “It’s time we treated childcare as an essential public service. Labour’s plan will provide families in Cork South West with the stability, quality, and affordability they deserve. This must be a key mission for the next government, and Labour is committed to making it a reality.”