Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Aisling Dempsey (FF), Meath West

I thank the Taoiseach for his considered response. It is welcome. I reiterate that we need to expedite delivery on that commitment. We need to alleviate the pressures on our families as a real matter of urgency.
The Taoiseach mentioned the workforce. Women tell me they are forced to family-plan on the basis of our high childcare costs and low availability. That is not good for them or for society as a whole. We want to keep women in our workplaces and we need to make that workforce as accessible for them as possible. We need to ensure that childcare is not a barrier to them returning to the workforce after maternity leave.
The Taoiseach also mentioned the increase in the national childcare subsidy. In Meath West, it increased by 15% last year. I again call for more subsidies and lower fee caps. We must recognise and reward the hard work of the mostly female staff who work in childcare and ensure they know how important they are to our society.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18