A new campaign is being launched today calling for universal childcare here.
The Labour Party and the Labour Women's Executive say scarce places and spiralling fees are the reason Ireland has the lowest rate of mothers in the workforce in any EU country.
They're calling on the government to invest in women and children to introduce a publicly funded, universal and affordable childcare scheme, which would be accessible to all.
Labour spokesperson for children Deputy Ivana Bacik says our childcare system is simply not affordable for many:
"Just in recent months, in particular, we've heard of creches closing. We know of really huge increases in creche prices for parents, and it's simply unsustainable. We have the lowest rate of mothers in the workforce in any EU country, partly because our childcare system is simply not affordable for so many, so we do need to change this. And that's what we'll be launching today as a proposal for a new universal scheme."
