The Government highlighted "the benefits of higher quality and more affordable" childcare today, as part of the Budget 2017 announcements.
And Minister Paschal Donohoe added that affordable childcare was simply "good for children, good for families and good for our economy".
In Leinster House earlier today, a new Single Affordable Childcare Scheme was unveiled - to be introduced from September 2017.
There will be means-tested subsidies, based on parental income, as well as universal allowances for all kids aged from six months to three years.
The Minister went on to explain that these subsidies will be paid for "children and young people attending a Tusla-registered childcare provider".
Breakingnews.ie said it has been confirmed that the scheme will result in €900 extra annually in the pockets of every working family. The poorest households, reports irishtimes.com, will receive some €8,000 a year.
Orla O'Connor of the National Women's Council Of Ireland said in response that the proposals were a "breakthrough for the provision of childcare in this country".
She added: "The childcare package is the first step to developing a publicly subsidised universal childcare model, similar to the models available in many other European countries.
"While we believe the new approach to childcare provision is right, we are calling on the Government to significantly increase funding for it."
The Irish Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Children also welcomed the proposals with the charity's Grainia Long stating: "This is a positive proposal; the combination of universal and targeted approaches is progressive.
"For too long, significant investment in childcare has been neglected in the Budget and today's announcement is very welcome."
