It’s the issue that never goes away, and one that it’s always a top concern for working parents.
Figures just released by the OECD have revealed that childcare costs in Ireland are actually the highest in the EU.
Everywhere across the EU, childcare costs account for about 12% of a family’s total income. Here, however, that percentage rises to a whooping 35%.
Such costs often prove prohibitive and indeed make people think twice about getting a job, as the average wage gets eaten away by creche or other childcare facilities.
This, and other issues related to childcare in Ireland, will be discussed today at an event hosted by the European Commission Representation in Ireland. The Children’s Minister James Reilly, along with representatives from the early childhood education sector, will participate in the event.