Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 July 2018
331. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average cost of childcare services for preschool children nationally; and the average cost of such services in Dublin city and county. [29832/18]
View answerData on the cost of childcare services for pre-school children is gathered annually by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. This is done through the Early Years Sector Profile. This survey aims to provide a national picture of services providing early childhood care and education in Ireland.
The most recent figures available were published in November 2017.
The survey identified that the average cost of fulltime childcare nationally is €174.16 per week. The average cost in Dublin city and county is €204.42.
In line with previous trends, fees are higher in affluent areas rather than in deprived areas (€205.56 and €153.32, respectively), higher in urban areas rather than rural areas (€182.76 and €158.84) and higher in private services than community/not for profit services (€181.52 and €154.89).
The figures for mid-2018 will become available in the coming months when this year’s survey data has been analysed.
A series of measures were introduced last September to assist families with the cost of childcare including a non means tested, universal subsidy of up to €1,040 per annum for children under the age of three, and greatly enhanced supports worth up to €145 per week for children up to the age of 15. Uptake of these measures has exceeded the target with the families of more than 79,000 children having benefitted from these measures to date. In addition, from this September the ECCE scheme will be available for two years for children before they enter school.
