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Government funds 5,000 extra childcare spaces

20170810 Childcare Post

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister Katherine Zappone are pictured with Kyle Kearney Dempsey, Finn O'Connor and Darius O'Reilly

Government funding of €4m is being provided to improve childcare services for children of school going age to make life easier for parents and families.

The announcement comes as the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar and Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, launch the latest phase of a national awareness campaign to make families aware of increased supports starting in September.

The first two strands of this funding announced today will help create over 5,000 extra childcare places in 225 school age childcare services. A third strand will be announced in the coming weeks.

The extra spaces will further increase capacity ahead of new childcare supports which will benefit up to 70,000 children from September.

The next phase of a national awareness campaign will encourage parents to check out their children’s entitlements under the banner ‘It Starts Now’. Families are being encouraged to visit a special website www.affordablechildcare.ie which has already recorded more than quarter of a million visits.

At the launch of the campaign the Taoiseach said:

In a Republic of Opportunity everyone should have the chance to access employment and education. Childcare can often be a barrier to this, whereas it should be a bridge to opportunity for parents, their children and our economy. These new subsidies will create greater parental choice and financial support for families so they can achieve their full potential. I’m delighted that investment made this year will help families begin to feel a difference in their pockets from September. I urge everyone with children in childcare to visit affordablechildcare.ie to see the supports available to their family.

For further detail, read the full press release here.