Government to announce a ‘family friendly’ giveaway in Dail this week

The major announcement will be made in the Coalition’s “family friendly” Budget and is the central plank of the Coalition’s much-anticipated package of childcare reforms aimed at reducing costs for hard-working families.

Children’s Minister James Reilly has been given €85m to invest in the extra free education and a range of other childcare initiatives.

This will include additional resources for the community childcare subvention, which provides childcare at reduced rates for disadvantaged families, and investment in after-school care for young children.

The Sunday Independent can also confirm that Tanaiste Joan Burton’s Department of Social Protection has secured funding to introduce two weeks of paid paternal leave for fathers, which will come into effect next summer.

The measures will be announced by Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin when they unveil their €1.5bn Budget in the Dail on Tuesday afternoon.

Read the full article on the Irish Independent website