Childminders should not have to pay business rates – Geoghegan

A Fine Gael TD is moving to change the law to ensure that no childminder working from home pays commercial rates.

Deputy James Geoghegan is to introduce a Bill to the Oireachtas which will clarify that any person offering childminding services from their home does not have to pay commercial rates.

Deputy Geoghegan said: “We have a huge shortage of childminders in this country. It is wrong to penalise people that provide this crucial service from their homes.

“The Programme for Government commits to enhancing parental choice by assisting all forms of childcare provision. By charging rates to those offering childcare services from their homes, we are limiting the options available to parents”.

Deputy Geoghegan highlighted the impact that this uncertainty is having on childminders across the country.

“There have been reports of some childminders receiving letters from Tailte Éireann, the State body responsible for deciding whether properties are liable to pay commercial rates, while other home childcare providers have not received notices.

“The only effect this has is to disincentivise more people from providing a badly needed service to parents and children”.

Deputy Geoghegan pointed to the latest available data, which reveals a lack of home childcare options for parents.

“At the end of October 2025, there were only 150 childminders signed up with the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate, the body that people are required to register with if they wish to provide home childcare services, while Department of Children survey data estimates that around 13,000 non-relative childminders provide these services across the country.

Deputy Geoghegan added that certainty must be given to these providers that they won’t be liable to pay rates, so more of them register with Tusla, providing parents with real choice.

“A lack of childcare options is an issue I hear about every week on the doors. We must do all we can to make every option available to parents”.