Budget 2017, a mother's story: ‘Childcare costs are more than our mortgage every month’

The extra funding for childcare announced in the budget will come as some relief to parents such as Caroline Murphy.

Wed, 12 Oct, 2016 - 01:00

Joe Leogue

Proposals unveiled yesterday include a childcare subsidy for parents with children aged between six months and three years, with Minister for Children Katherine Zappone claiming that the measures “will set a course to turn one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world into the best”.

Last year, Caroline told the Irish Examiner that she welcomed the extra year free pre-school education. As a mother of a then-two year old and a newborn, she hoped it would ease her family’s childcare costs.

Twelve months on, however, Caroline says making ends meet is still “difficult”, despite returning to work after her maternity leave ended.

“Myself and my husband are both working full-time, we take in a relatively okay income, but our outgoings are so high. For example, we can’t afford to go away on holidays, it’s crazy.

“Our childcare costs are more than our mortgage every month.”

She said that while last year’s extra year free pre-school was welcome, the reality is that for working couples, childcare is still needed for the time outside of pre-school hours while parents are still at work.

“Even with the free childcare year this year, we won’t qualify yet as our daughter isn’t three until November.

“Even then it is only for three hours a day, which reduces my childcare cost by €40 a week,” she said.

“It is still €40 in my pocket, but I’m even worried about how we’ll afford Christmas. When the two of us are working, that’s ridiculous.”

Caroline’s husband drives a wheelchair-accessible taxi — a vehicle he has taken a loan out on to adapt it to meet his customers’ specific needs.

When other costs — such as car repayments and the mortgage are taken into account, Caroline says her family are living “month to month”.

The cost of getting to her workplace in the city from East Cork also takes its toll. A move closer to work is unlikely, she said.

“We bought our house 10 years ago when property prices were very high and we’re now in negative equity, so we can’t really move. With the cost of diesel it is costing me €70 or €80 a week just to get to work,” Caroline said.

Ultimately the measures contained in the budget will have a significant determination on many families’ futures.

“It wasn’t too bad when we had just one child, but now we have two kids under three.

“I don’t know if I can have any more children, and it is not that I don’t want to have any more kids, I just don’t know if we can afford it.”