Conservatives have claimed that protests by some local parties about welfare reform and tax credits is ‘completely hypocritical’ because the NI Executive has failed to provide adequate child care
Conservative spokesperson Neil Wilson said the DUP and SF were letting down working parents by refusing to increase childcare provision – meaning many parents can’t even access Tax Credits.
“George Osborne confirmed in the Autumn Statement that in England the Conservatives are increasing the amount of free childcare for parents in England from 15 to 30 hours a week from next September. Stormont currently provides 12.5 hours per week of free preschool education and has no plans to improve this.”
“So the posturing by the DUP and Sinn Fein in particular, and indeed all the current Stormont parties, is completely hypocritical.”
“Many local parents can’t even access Tax Credits because the level of childcare and pre school provision is so inadequate.”
Mr Wilson further highlighted that the pre-school support system was ‘inflexible’.
“John O’Dowd’s failing Department limits parents to a set number of hours (2.5) spread across 5 days. This does not support working parents. More flexibility in how the hours can be used needs to be agreed.”
Mr Wilson claimed that the Northern Ireland system of school was ‘flawed’ because the types of providers which can offer the free places is limited in Northern Ireland, whereas in England the majority of providers, crucially including childminders, can offer the free places, making them more readily available to parents and complementary to families’ overall childcare needs.
“So before the Stormont parties rush to the media to attack the Conservatives on tax credits and welfare reform lets see ask them why our childcare and pre school provision is so poor. And lets hear some answers from Sinn Fein, the DUP, the SDLP, the UUP and Alliance on this important issue.”
ENDS
Employers in childcare website: