Average weekly childcare bill hits €120

CHILDCARE costs have soared by more than 23% in just over two years with the average bill now exceeding €120 per week.

New data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show weekly childcare costs in the first quarter of 2005 — the latest year for which figures are available — range from just under €100 in border counties to over e145 in Dublin.

The finding has prompted a warning from Labour’s spokesperson on children Senator Kathleen O’Meara that families are being placed under increasing pressure with childcare costs rising five times faster than the rate of inflation.