The National Women's Council has called on the Government to pay all parents £20 per week for each pre-school child to help them pay for childcare. The Council was reacting to news of how £250 million, allocated to childcare provision under the National Development Plan, is going to be spent. The money is targeted at increasing the number of creche places, especially in disadvantaged areas.
The fact that this money would be spent was announced last November. Today the Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue gave the details. His department will grant aid non-profit groups who want to establish or upgrade a childcare service. Grants will also be available for staffing costs. Self-employed childcare providers who mind not more than 20 children can also apply. Groups who wish to apply for funding should contact the childcare section of the Department of Justice. While the National Women's Council has welcomed the funding, it claims that the Government's childcare policy is completely unbalanced as there is no support for parents who have to pay for childcare.
