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SINN FÉIN HAS today pledged to drastically reduce the cost of childcare if in government to €200 a month per child.
The party said delivering its total childcare plan, which it published today, would come at a cost of €609m annually.
Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson said the programme would be funded from the existing government surplus, which is currently more than €8bn.
“We don’t have to increase income tax to pay for this type of investment… because the state is recording significant surpluses each year and is projected to record significant surpluses each year,” Doherty said.
The €10 per day model is designed based on existing schemes in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland and parts of Canada where the price of childcare for parents is capped.
According to a 2022 report by Pobal, monthly full-time childcare fees currently cost on average €800 per month.
Speaking at the launch in Dublin today, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said the current system is “not fair and not sustainable”.
The party has proposed to deliver the €10 a day scheme by bridging the gap between this and the actual cost by subsidising providers but implementing fee controls to ensure value for money for the state.
Sinn Féin says the cost of delivering the €10 a day scheme will be €345m annually.
The party has also pledged to bring childminders under the scheme but it says this will not be possible in the first year of government.
In addition to reducing costs, the party has pledged to deliver more childcare places by addressing issues with staff recruitment and retention.
It says it would increase the hourly wage of childcare workers by €1.50 initially, with €53.8m ring-fenced for wages.
The party has also pledged to conduct a review of Core Funding in the sector, looking at the efficacy and equitableness of how it is distributed among childcare providers.
McDonald said today this plan is a stepping stone to a model of fully funded public childcare that is free for parents.
As part of the party’s childcare plan, it has pledged to invest approximately €100m to allow parents to take leave for the entire first year of a child’s life.
It argues that doing so will benefit children and also help relieve some pressure on capacity in the formal childcare sector, where staff to children ratios are at their highest for this age group.
Currently, statutory maternity benefit is available for 26 weeks, paternity benefit for two weeks and parent’s leave for 9 weeks (usable over two years).
Under Sinn Féin’s proposal, the additional weeks will be bridged at the same weekly rate as parent’s benefit, which is currently €274 per week.
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Slava Ukraini.
Puck Futin.
@honey badger: Futin?
Like the Nazi, russia is using terror, nothing else, because they can’t win.
@Yvon Queguiner: Which country lost 27 Million citizens defeating the Nazis?
@Dave Grant: Yeah, 80 years ago. Now Russia has become the modern equivalent of the Nazis. Murder of civilians, including children. Forced deportations, denial of Ukranian citizenship or statehood, torture, looking to install a puppet regime. Looks like they learned a lot from the Nazis, or more reverted to type given their actions against their neighbours for the last 80 years.
@Dave Grant: I don’t think they lost them, the government knew exactly where they were sending them.
@Yvon Queguiner: Read a history book sometime, then you might not make such daft statements.
@west awake: I see you don’t dispute my statements Putin fanbot.
@Dave Grant: “Which country lost 27 Million citizens defeating the Nazis?”
You mean, which country made a pact with Nazi Germany to carve up Poland and only fought Nazi Germany when Germany invaded them?
Absolutely astonishing how anyone thinks Russia was some moral force in WW2. They fought out of necessity. Not for any other reason.
@Dave Grant: Stalin was responsible for the deaths of 20 million Russians.
@Dave Grant: 1. It was USSR which was formed from 15 now independent states including Russia. 2.USSR started the WW2 as NAZI Ally, and on 23.08.1939 signed Molotov–Ribbentrop pact. USSR attacked Poland together with NAZI Germany and killed. Exactly like current Russia, USSR did not allowed red cross to inspect captured Polish soldiers and thousands died in captivity as well as were executed. 3. Stalin was exactly same bloody dictator as Hitler. 4. Out of those 27 millions citizens you are talking 6.850 000 were Ukrainians Russia now is killing now. Ukraine lost 16.3% of the entire population and had 2d after Belarus highest civilian losses per capita. Russia lost 12.7% of population.
Slava Ukrainia Heroyum Slava!!
@Thomas Meaney: You’re a hero of the Ukrainian-Russian war, for your brave actions in using Google Translate.
@west awake: Are you a Putin fan, do you have topless posters of him on your wall and get excited by it?Should we get you a playboy magazine, with just Putin in it?
@Emmet Murphy: Wow. How did homophobia get dragged into this discussion?
@west awake: We’re not homophobic. It’s the guys you fancy we have a problem with. You go for the bad boys and they end up brain washing you. Just looking out for you, bud!
@Crafty Bodger: You have such a deep understanding of the geopolitical situation.
@west awake: Thanks! But back to you’re bad taste in fellas. Is it an “issues” thing? Only asking because I think it’s relevant to know why you blindly support Putin. Sorry if it’s personal and you don’t have to answer.
@Crafty Bodger: “If you fell in love with a dung heap, you wouldn’t find a bad straw in it.” Poor ould wakey westie is in love!!
Can’t wait for Trump to be re-elected, he’ll stop the war. Never would’ve started on his watch. At least thats what he claims.
@Eamon: and will welcome his paymaster putin into Kiev. It could be that putin was banking on trump getting a second term, but the American voter was a bit more clever than usual and messed up putins plan….and economy.
@Paul Furey: Putin was absolutely hoping Trump would get a second term. And Trump would have done everything to prevent NATO and the US from providing aid. He repeatedly floated leaving NATO prior to the election.
@Paul Furey: Russiagate conspiracy theory is so 2018.
@Eamon: He’ll bend over, there’s a difference and he wants help becoming a Dictator in his own Country.
@Paul Furey: ‘paymaster’??…..completely unfounded drivel….
@Eamon: You mean the same Trump with withheld aid from Ukraine unless Zelenskyy went along with Trump’s conspiracies to try attack his political rivals?
You mean the same Trump who called Putin a genius and praised him for invading Ukraine? The same Trump who said Crimea is a part of Russia?
He’ll stop the war alright, by stopping Ukraine from having the means to defend itself. The war would stop when Russia has killed every last Ukrainian who resists.
The Orcs have struck again
Read on Sky News website earlier that the wests has nearly run out of ammunition and the spring offensive by Ukraine will be make or break.
@Brian Boru: That’s it, even Sky are reporting the truth now. If this so-called offensive fails, then it’s all over. What a waste of life and resources.
@Brian Boru: Sky News is hardly a reputable source. I doubt the combined war stockpiles of NATO and the EU is almost exhausted.
@Stephen Deegan: They must be worried if they are searching Sky News to validate their arguments. Apparently, main stream media DOES tell the truth if it suits them. Have to say, I’m shocked. I thought they were guys of principle and conviction. Turns out they switch and change their views depending on which way the wind is blowing. Imagine quoting sky news and still thinking you have integrity. Smh
@west awake: waste of life and resoures trying to save your own country from being invaded? Sure… should have done that in WWII and not tried to fight the Nazis, it was a waste of life and resources.
@Jeff Cole: You have such a cartoonish childish understanding of the situation, let’s just say, it’s rather more nuanced than you’ve been led to believe.
@west awake: Did Sky News tell you that?
@Stephen Deegan: Is that your gut feeling?
@west awake: you are such a tw@t! Do you actually believe the stuff you post or are you just a sad little troll? I used to think you were a bot, then I thought, nah he’s real but clearly uneducated and heartless, supporting Putins massacre of men women and children. Now I think no one can be do dumb as to actually believe the stuff you post so either you’re paid by Russian Nazis or just a sad little troll. If you are real and actually believe what you write a would seriously worry about the people around you because you’re a psychopath. Either way im done with you and blocking you. You’re not worth any more of my time
Sudan conflict , prototype for next biological war putin or Russia one of the shareholders , the other side United statand UK. Dragging rest ot the globe to New level of dogs fight .120 000 sudanese militia soldiers with flip flop and daily income less than 2 euro, driving landcrusier cost 60k, carrying a Russian weapon cost 40k, fighting under vagnner instructions, 3 days ago WHO warn from biological leak from one of sudan labs , convince me how come a country consider poorest nations in the world holding kind of this research labs ?
Buy the way Emirates imported all pickups with militia currently at sudan, my question
Who pay for all this ?
@ibrahim Sudane: Sudanese, Ukranian and Russian people, ultimately.
And still they say that they don’t target civilians.
Absolute shower of effers, Slava Ukrainia
A special international dispensation for the execution of Russian war criminals on a pay per view event with the funds raised going to the rebuilding of Ukraine. All children over the age of 12 to watch with a sincere explanation of what these hateful humans have done prior to the drop. Sounds Orwellian? I don’t care. I sincerely want to see putin and lavrov with their tongues lolling. History doesn’t work anymore obviously, time for something slightly more medieval.
A lot of invective in this discussion tonight!
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