Childcare providers are gathering at Leinster House this afternoon.
Creches have shut their doors for the next three days in a protest over funding.
It's claimed by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers that 97 creches have closed across the country since March this year.
“This is having a devastating effect,” said Elaine Dunne who is chair of the Federation Of Early Childhood Providers.
“Our members have salaries to pay, alongside the cost of food and heating, utilities, bank charges, rates, maintenance and upgrade costs.
"If Government want childcare services and ECCE places to facilitate a healthy labour market and let people go to work, then adequate provision needs to be made.”
While, Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman Minister O'Gorman said he is fighting for more investment.
"In Ireland we've under-invested in childcare historically, we're playing catch," he said
"We've made really significant progress over the last three years, and in this year's budget negotiations I'm looking to continue to grow on that and build further investment."
Minister O'Gorman said he believes costs can be cut further for parents.
"There's absolutely challenges in the sector, there's challenges around staff as well," he said.
"We've increased investment very significantly; I'm fighting to get more investment in this year's budget, and I believe that we can continue to cut cost for parents, pay our staff better and continue to ensure that childcare providers are sustainable," he added.
