Supporting Families

In Ireland, we do too little to support parents. Despite improvements in recent years, we are still well behind other countries in terms of paid leave for parents, investment in childcare and early years education, supports for new parents, and basic public services for children.

The Social Democrats believe that parents and families deserve a break. Parenting should be more than just about surviving week to week, or an ongoing battle to ensure your child gets the services they are entitled to.

We want a New Deal for Families.

This New Deal would put parents and children at the heart of Government policies. It will support those parenting, in all forms of families, by allowing them more time with their children, more help with the cost of raising a family, and more peace of mind over their children’s future.

Our Priorities for Supporting Families

• Improving paid leave arrangements for parents
• Introducing a right to flexible work options
• Building a public model of early childhood care and education
• Capping childcare fees at €250 per month, and €200 for low income households.
• Public services that parents can count on in areas like Education and Health
• Ending Child Poverty

Find Out More

You can read more about our policies and plans in our New Deal for Families policy document, linked below.