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.

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.