Election 2024: Childcare is now a hot election topic, but problems have existed for years

From the mid-90s, with the majority of women no longer staying at home to raise their family, a need for comprehensive childcare for working families was created — and then completely ignored, writes Cianan Brennan

A family with two children can still expect to pay in excess of €1,000 a month for childcare.

Almost out of nowhere, childcare has become a hot topic issue in Ireland ahead of next Friday's general election.

For parents and seasoned observers of the sector, the speed with which prominence has been given to this particular social problem has been headspinning.