MINISTERS have defended Fine Gael's plans for supporting families, denying they are "piecemeal" and insisting the party's promises are "a very significant response".

It came as they outlined various policies designed to help families but did not reveal plans for reducing childcare costs.

The party's proposals include extending paid parental leave for both parents by seven weeks by 2025, expanding a hot meals scheme in schools, and introducing a free books scheme for primary schools.

Ministers Regina Doherty, Paschal Donohoe and Joe McHugh were on hand to launch these policies while Fine Gael colleagues elsewhere announced plans for extending free GP care to all under 18s.

However, Fine Gael offered no details of its plans for tackling the cost of childcare or other costs faced by families and Ms Doherty was forced to defend her party's pledges.

She rejected a suggestion that the plans for free school meals and books were "piecemeal".

She added: "What we’re trying to do is look at all the issues that can actually reduce a family’s outgoings so we have free GP care for children, we’ve introduced free dental care... the national childcare subsidies."

"They may not be enormous in themselves but collectively they are genuinely impactful at reducing those outgoings and that’s our main aim."

Mr Donohoe insisted Fine Gael is offering "practical support" for families and that it's a "very significant response".

He refused to be drawn on whether Fine Gael will promise an increase in the €80-per-month universal childcare subsidy in its manifesto saying it is still being finalised.

Pressed on the issue he said: "The only reason I’m not giving an answer to that is because there’s an array of policy areas that we still have to agree on.

"Our manifesto launch will be later on in the week"

He said that Fine Gael introduced the National Childcare Scheme along with Independent Children Minister Katherine Zappone and added: "so I think it is reasonable to expect that the National Childcare plan will feature in our manifesto.

"But the detail of how we’re going to do that will be contained in the manifesto itself."

Online Editors