Ireland has third highest childcare costs, study shows

Childcare costs in Ireland are the third most expensive in Europe.

A new European Commission study found that average monthly fees here are around €771 - Switzerland is the most expensive, followed by the UK.

The report also found that Ireland is one of the few countries that doesn't have a limit on fees for early childcare.

"It's not surprising," said Chairperson of the Association of Childhood Professionals Marian Quinn.

"We're consistently among the highest year-on-year with various different reports.

"The issue is there is very little government subsidy to bring that figure down. In other countries they are heavily subsidised."