New childcare subsidies to give €80 a month to parents of children under three years of age

From this coming September all parents will be able to avail of new childcare subsidies, including a monthly allowance of €80 per month for children aged between six months and three years of age.

Speaking at the Launch of a new website, affordablechildcare.ie, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone said this is good news for parents, families and children.

From this September there will be four different eligibility bands, replacing the three there were before, and subsidies available will range from €50-€145.

Parents of a child who is in a full-time Tusla registered childcare facility and aged between six months and three years will be able to avail of a non-means tested subsidy of €80.

There will also be increases of up to 50% in childcare subsidy rates provided under the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS/CCSP) Scheme and the Training and Employment (TEC) Schemes.

These schemes help disadvantaged parents and those in education or low paid employment to avail of reduced rate childcare for children aged between six months and 15 years of age.

For more check out www.affordablechildcare.ie