#GE2020: Heydon headlines FG childcare policy

A Fine Gael commitment to increase five-fold the monthly payment to working families with children under three has been highlighted by Deputy Martin Heydon, seeking to be returned to his Dail seat in Kildare South.

Saying that childcare 'is central to Fine Gael’s plan to support working families' while securing the country's economic growth he noted that Fine Gael will increase the current universal payment of €80 per month to €400 per month for all parents with children under three over the next five years.

Four weeks extra childcare under ECCE scheme is another feature of the party's childcare programme. "We will increase the number of weeks available under the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme from 38 weeks to 42 weeks — up to eight weeks extra per child, as is a two-year scheme."

Deputy Heydon also said €150m will be invested to increase both the threshold and the subsidy under the National Childcare Scheme. This will allow parents — including of school age children — to receive a payment based on their income, benefitting more middle income working parents.

A Childminding Support and Inclusion Plan that will assist transition to allowing childminders and parents using childminding services to benefit from the subsidies.

The policy promise will also extend parental leave for both parents to nine weeks each in the first year.

He also headlined that funding in childcare has been increased by almost 250pc from €274m in 2015 to €638m this year. Under the plan, that will extend to over €1bn by 2025.

(Derived from material provided by the candidate.)

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