Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, has slammed the Government for making false promises on childcare before the election while families across Wicklow continue to face soaring costs, limited places, and empty pledges from Ministers.
Speaking on the issue, Deputy Brady said:
“Families in Wicklow are at breaking point. Childcare here costs on average €235.90 per week for a single child in full-time care. That means families are paying between €800 and €1,167 every single month, and in many cases are paying far higher than their mortgage repayments depending on the area. It is a disgrace that in 2025, parents are still being forced to choose between work and childcare or are being locked out of the workforce altogether because of these outrageous costs”.
“There are 1,401 children on childcare waiting lists in Wicklow alone. Nationally, more than 50,000 children under the age of four are waiting for a place, along with thousands more waiting for after-school and school-age childcare. These shortages are one of the biggest barriers preventing women from re-entering the workforce, as the National Women’s Council have rightly highlighted. This is not just a childcare crisis, it is a gender equality issue and a cost of living issue.”
Deputy Brady pointed to the Government’s repeated broken promises:
“Before the last election, the Government promised to cap childcare fees at €200 per month and to deliver State-run services in communities with the greatest childcare gaps. Yet here we are, years after Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been in government together, and families in Wicklow are still paying among the highest childcare costs in Europe, with no sign of the promised State-run childcare facilities”.
“They also promised to provide capital investment to build or purchase State-owned early learning and childcare facilities. Across Wicklow, we have seen no evidence of this. We still have a sector overstretched, underfunded, and facing constant staffing shortages, spiralling running costs, and increasing insurance premiums.”
Deputy Brady noted that parliamentary questions he submitted revealed no changes to the National Childcare Scheme, despite its well-documented flaws.
“The rigidity of the scheme means many families cannot access it in a way that meets their needs. Parents are often forced to pay for childcare hours they do not need or want, simply to avoid losing their eligibility for NCS support. This is nonsensical and deeply unfair.”
He paid tribute to childcare staff, who continue to provide invaluable services despite these pressures.
“Childcare staff and management in Wicklow are doing phenomenal work under impossible conditions. They provide care and support that is vital for children’s development and for families’ daily lives. Yet instead of supporting them, the Government leaves them to struggle.”
Deputy Brady concluded:
“The Government’s promise of €200 a month childcare fees was nothing more than a headline-grabbing stunt designed to win votes. Without real investment, without State-run facilities, and without tackling staffing shortages, these promises are worthless. Families in Wicklow are left facing crippling costs in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, while the Government sits on its hands”.
“It is time for the government to act on their words and to meaningfully invest in early-years education and care, and this must be reflected in the government’s Budget 2026. Anything less is yet another betrayal of parents, children, and staff.”