What’s New

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has outlined measures aimed at tackling the crippling cost of childcare facing tens of thousands of families. Writing exclusively in the Irish Independent today, Mr Varadkar has spelled out Government plans to provide greater parental leave, increase

Clarification to September Readiness 2017/2018 Announcement  Please note the dates in our original announcement have been amended/clarified.  New versions of the notices have now been added to the links in our notice posted below. You can also visit the PIP Portal to

€4 million to be spent giving 6,200 packs of sensory toys to crèches across the country Minister Katherine Zappone has set aside €4 million for the project, which is being put out to tender. FREE SENSORY TOYS are to be

Review of childcare costs may pave way for increased subsidies Study will investigate why Irish childcare is among the most expensive in Europe Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has commissioned an independent study into the cost of childcare in an

Childcare payments may differ from county to county after creche fee audit The review will take 10 months to complete and will inform Minister Katherine Zappone’s future budget decisions. A REVIEW OF crèche fees nationwide could result in differing grant

Subsidy scheme for childcare needs up-to-date systems Early Childhood Ireland says more childminders need to be brought into the scheme The Government’s scheme for subsidising childcare must be supported by up-to-date systems to allow easier access for parents, an industry

Senior Government figures will today move to assure families of their commitment to reduce childcare costs through the announcement of 5,000 extra places for children. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone will also insist that further childcare incentives

Childcare workers with master’s qualifications earning below living wage Oireachtas report finds lack of investment results in high childcare costs for parents rish parents are saddled with some of the highest childcare costs in Europe due to a lack of public

Reaction from Early Childhood Ireland to report & recommendations on the Working Conditions of the Early Years Education and Care sector from the Joint Committee on Children & Youth Affairs Commenting from Leinster House today Frances Byrne, Director of Policy

Stretched: The Cost Of Childcare – Today FM This week we continue our Stretched series by looking at the cost of childcare in Ireland. Parents all over the country are paying huge sums of money for creches as well as

‘Affordable childcare’: 10 things you should know Families can look forward to some extra support this autumn, but parents should research their entitlements For the first time, parents in the “squeezed middle” can look forward to getting a little help

Affordable childcare scheme ‘may not be ready by deadline’ Katherine Zappone says it is impossible to guarantee a start-up date for the programme The Government’s new affordable childcare scheme may not be ready by its September 2018 deadline, Minister for

‘Postcards from the Dole’ handed to Department of Finance by SIPTU Activist and Early Years educator, Sandra Hurley. Image: SIPTU Childcare workers deliver ‘postcards from the dole queue’ to Government Early years workers are only paid for 38 weeks a

Childcare providers in rural areas fastest to sign up to new subsidy scheme Childcare providers in rural areas are signing up for the Government’s new subsidy scheme at a considerably faster rate than in urban centres. From September the Department

Planning childcare for the autumn? You may qualify for these subsidies A new universal subsidy comes into force from September. CHILDREN’S MINISTER KATHERINE Zappone launched an information campaign this week to encourage parents to avail of childcare subsidies. As part

THERE HAS BEEN a huge upturn in the number of children signing up to childcare schemes aimed at the less well-off, according to Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone. An extra 2,500 children are now getting support – bringing the numbers up

Zappone to explore ways to improve pay in childcare sector Minister says Government cannot be ‘oblivious’ to needs of providers of vital service New approaches must be explored to improve the pay and conditions of those working in the childcare

The changes will come in from September Families could be set to benefit from up to €7,500 a year from this September due to changes in childcare support. It was announced in the Dail today by the Minister for Children,

What do the new childcare subsidies mean for Irish families, what are the rates and how do parents claim them? New grant equates to €960 per year – and with the average cost of childcare sitting between €800-€900 per month,

An extra €3.5m will be made available to childcare providers in the form of a ‘non-contact time payment’ announced today by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Katherine Zappone. This is in addition to €14.5 million in non–contact

THE SIPTU Big Start campaign is hosting a public meeting to discuss the crisis within childcare in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, tomorrow (Thursday, June 8) at 8 p.m. All those involved with the early years education sector, including parents, providers,

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT is due and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, is the architect of a timely and ambitious blueprint in Affordable Childcare, the foundations for which must be laid over the next three months, in