Women driven from the workforce by childcare costs

CHILDCARE costs are driving women from the workforce and burdening working families with the equivalent of a second mortgage repayment, union chiefs said yesterday.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) warned that the massive cost burden and lack of availability would cause more women to leave their jobs and said immediate action was needed to keep working mothers from throwing in the towel.

Around 45% of women in the workforce have children under the age of three.