Parents in Cork could be spending €800 to €900 a month for childcare. That is if there is only one child they need childcare for. It could be well over €1,000, or €1,500 if they have two children. It is absolutely breaking families, and that is if they can find childcare facilities at all. In large parts of my constituency, in places like Douglas and Carrigaline, it is effectively impossible to find a place. The Tánaiste went to the people in the last election and talked about €200 a month. The new maximum fee cap of €183.70 a week is a reduction but is still closer to €200 a week. We are a very considerable distance from €200 a month. This is absolutely breaking families. The Tánaiste and his party like to talk about the squeezed middle. Any parent who needs childcare is definitely in the squeezed middle. There is no doubt about that. We have not seen any progress in the last budget. We need to see progress in this budget for families who are absolutely broken by childcare costs.

Sentiment score: 0.07