A MOTION passed at Council seeks to address the spiralling cost of childcare that is seeing parents "priced out of work".

At Tuesday's meeting at The Grange, Omagh, DUP councillor Shirley Hawkes proposed a motion calling on the newly-restored Northern Ireland Executive to bring forward a Childcare Strategy that will aim to provide 30 hours of free childcare per week for 3 to 4 year-olds.

Councillor Hawkes said that the average cost of childcare has risen by 14 per cent since 2021, and amounts to an average of £170 per week per child. 

"A recent survey showed that 41 per cent of parents said childcare was their largest monthly outgoing, ahead of mortgage or rental costs," Councillor Hawkes said. "Many families have to use means other than their income to pay for childcare, including savings, credit cards and loans.”

The motion, and a subsequent amendment from the Alliance Party, received cross-party support.

Alliance councillor, Stephen Donnelly, said an amendment was “necessary” to ensure the council “doesn’t inadvertently sign up to a model of childcare that does not work.”

“Alliance has taken time to engage with the sector, and it’s clear that the ‘free hours’ scheme is a good sound bite, but a bad policy,” he told the Chamber. “This (policy) fails children in low-income households and distorts the market for childcare, as the hours system centre around parental employment.

“It’s crucial that we move on this … but we need a bespoke solution that meets the needs of people in Northern Ireland.”

The amendment was seconded by party colleague, Eddie Roofe.

David Mahon, who seconded the original motion, said unaffordable childcare is placing “significant barriers” to parents when it comes to finding, and staying in, employment.

"The workforce is the most important part of any economy, and key in any business," the Erne North councillor said. "Many parents cannot find, or indeed afford, childcare, which forces someone to stay at home and carry out the important role of raising their children.”

Supporting the motion, UUP councillor Diana Armstrong agreed that many parents are being adversely impacted by unaffordable childcare.

"Yesterday, I spoke with parents and two local primary schools, and the common theme was the cost of childcare, and how this impacts them," she said.  

"Daily childcare costs can range from £38 to £50 per child, and this doesn't include snacks, meals, outings or pickups and drop-offs. Parents with two children under 4 could expect to pay £21,000 per annum for childcare.

"We need a bespoke and comprehensive childcare strategy that puts puts our children at the centre, and underpins and supports the childcare sector here.

"Parents make up around 40 per cent of the workforce, but are being priced out of work." Councillor Armstrong added.

Supporting the motion, SDLP councillor, Garbhan McPhillips, said that childcare costs have "risen unsustainably".

"My wife and I both work full-time and pay for full-time childcare for two children," he said. "We know all too well of the expense. 

"Like so many other working families, it's budgeted into our daily lives."

Independent councillor, Dr. Josephine Deehan, said the cost of childcare is even forcing parents to “limit the size of (their) families”.

“Sadly, parents are having to make very difficult decisions, and in some cases, limit the size of families because they cannot afford proper childcare provision," Dr. Deehan said. 

“Unfortunately, it's often not possible for both parents to continue working owing to prohibitive costs of childcare, and one parent, often the mother, is forced reluctantly to give up a well-paid job which they have invested much in terms of career development."