IMPACT, as the union representing workers in the Early Education sector, campaigns for the best interests of children when it comes to early years care and education. Ciairín de Buis has joined the IMPACT team and brings her unique and valuable experience to guiding IMPACT on the road ahead, building on the foundations created by Start Strong's Early Years campaign.
The newsletter is dedicated to making childcare and family leave a key election issue through our Early Years #IMPACTEarlyEd campaign and to keep you informed of campaign developments.
Political parties have already begun to make promises as to what they plan to do about childcare and family leave it they form part of the next Government.
Throughout the GE16 campaign Start Strong will be looking closely at these promises. Once all the manifestos have been launched we will publish a full analysis of how they deal with early years policies, but for now you can keep up to date with our responses to recent announcements on our media page or by following us on Twitter or Facebook.
We're calling on all general election candidates to make an Early Years #GE16 Promise to Children.
The promise gets candidates to commit to making early years a priority if elected, by increasing investment to ensure affordable, accessible, quality early years services and by strengthening family leave.
Once candidates have signed up for our promise we will add them to the list of signatories on earlyyears.ie - so please keep an eye on the website for regular updates.
“All political parties made election promises on paid leave and childcare. It’s now time to act. With the Dáil returning today and the political parties manoeuvring for government, we need to focus on what the next government can achieve, not who is in it.
“The lack of affordable, high quality childcare was a huge issue on the doorsteps during the election. Families here pay some of the highest costs in the world for childcare but without any guarantee of quality. We also have some of the shortest paid leave available to parents. The next Government, whoever it may be, needs to make early years a priority.”
We're calling on all general election candidates to make an Early Years #GE16 Promise to Children.
The promise gets candidates to commit to making early years a priority if elected, by increasing investment to ensure affordable, accessible, quality early years services and by strengthening family leave.
Once candidates have signed up for our promise we will add them to the list of signatories on earlyyears.ie - so please keep an eye on the website for regular updates.