Every child in Ireland deserves a great start in life. Right now, our childcare system is failing — parents are paying some of the highest fees in Europe, skilled educators are leaving the profession in droves, and families in Galway are waiting months, sometimes years for a place.
This is not a funding problem. The State will spend €1.5 billion on childcare in 2026. It is a systems problem — and it needs structural solutions.
I believe early childhood education and care is a public good, not a marketplace service.
Here is what I will fight for in the Dáil:
Fees capped at €10 a day. Every family deserves affordable, quality childcare. I will hold the Government to account on this commitment and push for the structural changes needed to make it real.
Educators paid properly by the State. We pay teachers and SNAs centrally — we should do the same for early childhood educators. Fair pay, secure contracts, and a professional wage scale will stop the exodus from the sector and deliver the stability children need.
Local action on supply now. Galway families cannot wait five years for a new national strategy. I will push for immediate local action to enact the promised “public model” of ECEC, to tackle waiting lists and childcare deserts in our communities.
An end to profiteering from public funds. State money must go to children, educators, and families — not to dividends for offshore investors. I will advocate for clear guardrails on how public funding is used.
When we invest well in our youngest children, every euro comes back to us many times over — in healthier families, stronger communities, and a better society. It is not a cost. It is the smartest investment we can make.