Mandate members urged to complete childcare survey
Wednesday 30 September 2015The cost of childcare in Ireland is widely acknowledged as being too high and poses an intolerable burden for working families – particularly workers in the retail sector. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is carrying out a survey of union members.
We are urging Mandate members to participate in the survey which can be accessed by clicking here.
In other European countries, full-time childcare can cost as low as €150 per month, in some countries it is free (France). Here, childcare costs range from €600 (rural) up to €1,000 (Dublin). Bringing childcare costs down to European levels would result in savings of thousands of Euros per year for families. High childcare costs in Ireland make it prohibitive for many workers in low-paid industries to participate in the workforce.
John Douglas, Mandate General Secretary said: “We need radical changes in the way childcare is delivered for working families. In order to help us formulate our childcare policy for the trade union movement and establish what working families want and need, it’s important that as many Mandate members fill in this survey as possible.”
He continued, “As a National Organisation, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has an opportunity to influence the national discussion on childcare that will no doubt be a topical issue in the upcoming General Election. The larger the survey sample, the more valuable the results will be. Please share this survey with all of your colleagues and fellow Mandate members.”
The deadline for completion is midnight on Monday 19th October.
