Fine Gael is the most popular political party in the country after a week of election campaigning, according to the latest opinion poll.

Fine Gael on pledged to create an extra 30,000 public childcare places if re-elected to Government, as part of a wide-ranging initiative which would amount to

Fine Gael will introduce a new family carer payment of €325 a week and abolish the current means test if the party returns to Government. This means a couple could earn €2,500 per week and still qualify for the full carers allowance payment, which is double the current cap.

The party launched its childcare policy on Wednesday morning and stated that it would create another 30,000 places in childcare and 'set fair wages for childcare educators'.

Fine Gael will publish its policy on children, including a plan to deliver a permanent double child benefit. The party recommends this is delivered in the month of August, to assist families facing back-to-school expenses.

Fine Gael is proposing to cap childcare fees at a maximum of €600 per month, as the party pledges to make 30,000 public childcare places

Families will have to pay no more than €600 a month for childcare costs under Fine Gael proposals for children and parents. The party has pledged to introduce a €200-monthly cap on the costs of childcare per child,

FINE GAEL HAS promised to cap the cost of childcare at €200 per child per month and €600 per family for families with more than three children. Launching their plans today in Dublin, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that these caps would be introduced in the first Budget if Fine Gael is re-elected.