Families and children deserve a public system of high-quality, accessible and affordable early years and school-aged care.
Childcare available to all children.
Childcare that is flexible, not for profit and starts when parents need it.
Where every child is guaranteed a place.
Childcare that ensures decent pay and working conditions for educators.
And that allows women to participate fully in society.
But currently tens of thousands of children are on waiting lists. Families are struggling to cover costs. Low pay and precarious working conditions are fueling high staff turnover.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Together for Public, led by the National Women’s Council, brings together over 40 civil society organisations, trade unions, academics and childcare providers campaigning for a public system of Early Childhood Education and Care and School Aged Care.
Our alliance has put childcare high on the agenda for Government and stakeholders. We’ve seen promising steps forward but need to keep the pressure on to ensure a transition to a public system – which is the only way to secure achieve affordable, accessible, universal and high-quality childcare.
Our Alliance
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Our milestones
2026
Together for Public Alliance
Our alliance has grown to almost 50 members and mobilised the support of policymakers, civil society, educators, unions, educators, parents & media
May 2026
Roadmap to Public
Publication and launch of our “Roadmap to Public Childcare”— outlining our vision for public childcare and how it could happen
March 2026
Close the Gap
“Close the Gap” rally and launch of our booklet calling for better-paid and more family leave
2025
Recipes for Gender Equality
Recipes for Gender Equality conference– looking to successes from other European countries on childcare and family leave
2025
May Day Demo
A major demonstration marking the end the first 100 days of the new government and calling for urgent action in the implementation of the Programme for Government commitments
2024
Putting ECEC on Government’s priorities
Mobilisation and campaign actions including townhalls, an e-action Campaign which resulted in more than 6,000 emails sent to party leaders. We also published an open letter to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, urging them to include a public ECEC in the Programme for Government, printed in Irish Times and Irish Examiner
2023
National Day of Action
NWC holds ‘Purple for Public’ a National Day of Action bringing together parents to call for public, affordable childcare