Childcare costs across Europe: How do we compare?

Only Britain and Switzerland had higher childcare costs in an Irish Examiner survey of Irish people raising children abroad 

Teresa Heeney, Chief Executive Officer of Early Childhood Ireland, with Flip Przeworek (aged 3), Liz Noronha (aged 4) and V.J Troy (aged 4) at the Early Childhood Ireland Budget submission. Ms Heeney says pay for a public system of childcare won’t be cheap. Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

There are many pressing social issues in Ireland in 2021, but make no mistake, childcare is among the most grievous.

At present early years care in Ireland doesn’t work on any level. The pay is so poor that people can't afford to do the job, while the qualification requirements have risen to entirely outpace the monetary reward.