The Minister for Children has said the average cost of childcare fees should be reduced by 50% over the next two Budgets.
Roderic O'Gorman said the focus for Green Party in the upcoming Budget was "affordability for parents".
He said the party wants a "significant increase" in the National Childcare Scheme which provides a subsidy to parents for childcare costs.
"We want to see a 50% average cut in childcare fees across this Budget and the next Budget," Mr O'Gorman said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, he did not provide a specific figure on what reduction would be achieved in Budget 2023, which is due to be published on 27 September.
While Mr O'Gorman said there was broad support and recognition across the coalition that the cost of childcare is a major burden on families, he said the specific reduction for the coming year was not yet agreed within Government.
However, he said he will be "working to achieve a substantial part of" the 50% in the upcoming Budget.
He said measures like Core Funding in last year's Budget were to tackle the outflow of childcare professionals.
He said there were now measures to enhance rates of pay for staff and bring in an Employment Regulation Order.
The minister also said that childcare professionals feel undervalued and it was a fact that their wages did not reflect their contribution to society.
He said he hoped to see the ERO, which would bring in an entry pay rate of €13 per hour, signed in the next number of weeks.
