Grandparents are falling victim to high childcare costs in Ireland

Speaking during a Seanad debate on early childcare, Fine Gael Senator, Cáit Keane, insisted that it's unfair the elderly pay the price when it comes to high childcare costs in Ireland.

Suggesting that increased participation by parents in the workforce is having a detrimental effect on our society's elderly, Ms. Keane insists that grandparents shouldn't have to take the place of outside care, saying: "Grandparents do the work willingly, but they do not want to do it 24 hours per day."

Insisting that investment in childcare is paramount, Ms. Keane said: "It is a false economy to put in a few bob here and there in the short term, although it might be politically advantageous."

In order to address the issue and offer assistance to self-employed parents, Ms. Keane suggested that funding should be provided through Enterprise Ireland, saying: "For the country as a whole and the outcomes, it would be better to do it right."

Acknowledging that many grandparents were doing the work of 'volunteers' in order to assist working parents, James Reilly, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, said his department were currently considering way to improve investment strategies for early childcare and education.