Irish have highest childcare fees in Europe

Posted by Sally O'Brien, on 07/07/2014. Irish have highest childcare fees in Europe

Tags: Parenting

It might come as no surprise that a new report done by Euro Stat has revealed Ireland has one of the highest costs in early child care education in Europe. Early child care education (ECCE) is education for children of preschool age. In Ireland, the ECCE scheme here allows one year free education for children between 3 and 4 years old, prior to them starting school. Outside this, parents pay the highest fees for for childcare with very little government support at meeting these costs.

The majority of the EU countries provide some kind of subsidies to assist parents in meeting their early childcare costs (eg creche costs). In scandinavian countries parents pay a percentage of total of costs with government paying up to 80% in subsidies. .

The report also found that Ireland also no minimum level of formal qualification for working with younger children.

Do you think Ireland should do more to support parents with early child care costs? Please leave a comment.

Comments

JohnMc

(11-07-2014 08:04)

Definitely not surprised at this.
How do creche's get away with charging so much? Childminders give a better, more personal, service!

Mary Daly

(16-07-2014 14:51)

Parents have children cannot afford creche fees can drink smoke/entertain and employ qualified child practitioners for 3euro to 5euros an hr or else say they can only afford to pay 150euros for 40to50hr wk no holiday pay etc. is this right. Don't have children if u can't afford them. Back in the 90s I paid 5pounds an hr for someone to mind my son. There was no crche space as he should have been booked it at birth but we came to area when he was 2. Crches do not overcharge to day. They give a very good service.