Dublin has the highest childcare fees in the State.

Sinn Féin will make Dublin a better place to raise a family and build a future.

If you have a child who attends childcare full-time, five days a week, you will go from paying €800 per month to paying €200 per month.

This will be done by increasing the subvention to childcare providers and will also apply to child-minders, at a cost to the state of €345 million.

According to Pobal, for 2022/23 (most recent available data) median weekly childcare fees (for full daycare) in Dublin City are €221, in Dún Laoghaire the are €265, in Fingal they are €231 and in South Dublin they are €230.

€10 a day childcare is available in other countries where governments recognise the benefit of affordable childcare to working families and to the economy. Denmark, Sweden, Finland and parts of Canada cap the price of childcare for parents.

Childcare in Ireland has been far too expensive for far too long. There is also a growing issue with the availability of childcare places. Thousands of our children are on waiting lists for spaces that are not there.

For too long, the State has taken a hands-off approach when it comes to the provision of childcare. In government, Sinn Féin will ramp up capacity in the childcare sector and extend benefits for parents to care for babies in their first year.

Childcare is an essential service. It is time for childcare to be given the investment and priority that it needs.

Our vision for Dublin includes:

• Giving all parents in Ireland access to childcare at €10 per day, per child.