A deal has been struck to reduce childcare costs by 25% in tomorrow's budget.
The subsidy for creche places under the National Childcare Scheme will be increased substantially.
It will be worth up to €2,000 a year for some families, according to Government sources.
Meetings among party leaders have been continuing to finalise the last details of the budget.
That includes the Government paying for all primary schoolbooks at a cost of almost €50 million a year.
Minister Michael McGrath says Tuesday's budget will be "significant" but no so much that it'll "sow the seeds" of further problems down the line: pic.twitter.com/9AjkfF44bl
— Tom Douglas (@TomDouglas95) September 25, 2022
Books And iPads
Parenting expert Laura Erskine says while it's welcome, the costs at secondary school level remain huge:
"Each of the school books that have to be bought for a secondary school child has to be bought brand new."
"That's because there's a scratch-off digital code on the inside cover, which is a single use code for that book to be uploaded onto the school iPad."
"Plus the school iPad is compulsory, the insurance, the ongoing maintenance of that iPad."
