There is no need to feel bad about asking your parents to watch the kids...again.
The government has put forth a new proposal in budget negotiations that will pay grandparents annually for childcare.
Independent ministers’ plan to allocate €1,000 per year to grandparents who regularly watch their grandchildren for more than 10 hours a week. The financial proposal has been called the ‘Granny Grant’.
Transport Minister Shane Ross's Independent Alliance called for its introduction.
The process would be fairly simple for those who wished to apply for the grant, just submit an application form to the Department of Social Protection.
According to the Independent, grandparents would not be required to provide proof of expenses to receive the grant money.
“The payment is aimed at recognising that grandparents allow young mothers and fathers re-enter the workforce by giving their children care they would not get anywhere else and which comes at no cost to parents or the State,” Shane Ross told the Irish Independent.
He has been a big supporter of the proposal and said that he would be persistently pursuing the Finance Minister for its approval.
A recent Independent Alliance analysis revealed just how vital grandparents are to parents as childminders: “Almost 70,000 grandparents could be eligible for the grant, costing around €71m a year.”
The analysis reasoned that with this ‘Granny Grant’ parents would be able to return to work sooner and thus help the Irish economy.
Hopefully, the Transport Minister will gain the Finance Minister’s support, and we will see this proposal approved and implemented in the coming months.
