Katherine Zappone said that she is calling for an extra €150m per year over the next five years to intensify investment in the sector to make it affordable for families and children.

ALMOST one in 10 childminders in Ireland are more than 55 years-of-age and most have a written contract with the parents of the children they mind, says new research.

ONLY 700 of the estimated 37,000 people who mind children in their homes are properly registered, it has emerged.