Parents bearing the burden of childcare costs will have some relief in this year's budget.
A new childcare scheme will be set up from September - the introduction of a new Single Affordable Childcare Scheme.
The scheme promises both means-tested subsidies, based on parental income, for children between six months and 15 years. Children aged six months to three years will be eligible for universal subsidies.
The threshold for the scheme is €80,000 for combined parent incomes.
Parents earning the lowest can receive subsidies can receive up to €8,000 in subsidies a year.
The affordable childcare scheme that will see a subsidy made available to all parents from is understood to be worth at least €20 a week.
All families, no matter what their income levels, will be entitled to as much as €900 a year, if the child is in 40 hours per week of childcare.
The payment will apply on a pro-rata basis of a State subsidy of 50 cent an hour of childcare. This will be paid directly to the childcare provider.
This would mean a child in care for 40 hours a week would receive an €80 subsidy a month.
Overall, funding will rise 35% from €345 to €465 million in 2017.
We were joined by Ciarín de Buis, an expert in childcare policy.
She said, "
"I particularly welcome the start of a universal payment that will be available to parents in all income groups.
"While funding is still very limited at this point, the scheme has the potential to have an enormous positive impact on women’s equality if further funding is provided."
Columnist with the Irish Examiner Victoria White also joined. She frequently writes about motherhood. She believes stay at home parents are being discriminated against.
She said: "Apart from any good or bad effects day care might have, the fact is that the vast majority of parents do not want to put their children into day care. Therefore, the Government should not be pushing them in that direction.
"If the Government wants to help the 'squeezed middle' with the cost of raising children, throwing money at day care is not the way to go - it discriminates against those who look after their children at home, or want to do so."
