High staffing levels increase creche costs, claims expert

A child care expert has said that the cost of placing a child in a creche is "expensive" because the job is "very labour-intensive".

The cost amounts to around three months of the average annual wage, according to the nationwide survey from Newstalk 106-108fm.

The new survey of more than 130 childcare facilities in Ireland found that the annual cost difference between the most and least expensive county was €4,368.

Parents in Dublin and along the commuter belt pay the most for childcare.

Nationwide, the average price for one child is €162 per week.

CEO of Early Childhood Ireland, Irene Gunning, explains the high prices saying that the cost of staffing a creche amounts to 70% of a facility's outgoings.

Ms Gunning said: "The whole area comes in under the pre-school regulations which say that there has to be one staff for three babies, one staff for five toddlers and it goes up then for the pre-schoolers about 10.

"So it is very labour-intensive.

"Now that is not to say that the staff get very high wages, you know there is a whole myth about childcare. It is expensive for parents."