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WE NEED TO talk about the cost of childcare in Ireland and, more specifically, the impact that the lack of regulation has on women’s careers.
Headlines recently reassured families that the government are aware and working on this, and that fees will be capped from September, which is great news for all.
Minister for Children, Norma Foley, went on to confirm that childcare fees for parents paying the highest rates will be capped at €295 per week. Read that again. ‘Capped’ at €295 per week. Even with the National Childcare Scheme subsidy, that’s a huge burden on families. In what universe could this be considered a cause for celebration?
I have had coffee with a friend on a number of occasions this year, as she has ruminated over the fact that from August, she will effectively be locked out of the workplace. Currently, a family member is minding her three children, but this arrangement is coming to an end, and the alternative options are entirely impractical.
This friend has had a few quotes from crèches (the few that actually have spaces) and the money discussed would make your eyes water. My friend is successful in her field, a field that is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and has reached a higher managerial position with over 15 years of experience under her belt. What a huge loss it is to the Irish workforce when a talented professional can’t afford to work.
Hers is not an isolated case. Families across Ireland are struggling to pay crèche fees, on top of soaring rent costs. There are many families dreading the coming summer months because childcare costs are outrageous.
These families then begin to have conversations about what they can do to get by, and really, there isn’t a lot. Soaring electricity and grocery bills leave little wriggle room to cut back. Once it becomes economically unviable for both parents to work, it starts to make sense for one parent to stay home because this can save thousands each month.
Sound familiar? I bet it does to many.
It generally falls on the parent who earns less to stay home, and with women typically earning less than men, we effectively lock them out of the workforce, preventing them from being in the room when the policies that affect them are being drafted.
If juggling crèche drop-offs, collections and fees is this difficult for couples with both parents working, imagine how difficult it is for single-parent families. Census figures show that one-parent families make up almost a quarter of all Irish families, and 86% of these are headed by women. These same women are already earning less than their male colleagues, and might be footing the entire crèche bills on one salary.
Remember, Ireland still has no system in place to track, log or enforce maintenance payments despite recommendations from the then Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee in 2024, who said the state should take all appropriate measures to ensure maintenance is provided for all children. Currently, while there are provisions to stop this from happening, it is definitely easier for one parent to remove themselves from the family and absolve themselves of any financial responsibility with no repercussions. I don’t know how any government minister could expect the single parents left behind to afford childcare, along with all other bills, on one salary.
We should be providing as much support as possible to families with young children and removing barriers to employment. But this isn’t the case. A staggering 85% of women leave full-time employment within three years of having their first child. Some of these women might opt not to return to work after their maternity leave ends, as the monthly cost of childcare might match their salary. This is entirely unacceptable. As is the fact that having young children reduces labour market participation among women, and even more so when the woman is a lone parent. And when women can’t participate in the workplace, there are many aspects of public life that are entirely inaccessible to them. It’s just not good enough.
What are we supposed to do? Where does this leave families with young children? Maybe this country wants one parent to stay home with the kids. Maybe we are attempting a return to outdated and traditional values. Maybe this is why we systematically lock women out of the rooms in which these decisions are made.
But no, that’s also not the case. Not only is this country not set up for women to work in, but it is also not set up for them to stay home. There are very few households that can survive on one salary, and if they do, they forego a lot of things once considered standard for older generations.
Like many others, I would genuinely welcome the opportunity to see any of our top politicians survive on the living wage, and I’m being kind here – I could offer minimum wage, and have them try to cover rent or mortgage, utilities and childcare. It just isn’t possible.
Something has to give, and it feels like one more sacrifice that lands at the feet of women. Providing solid pathways to employment is an investment in both the economy and future generations. Why can we not move forward?
Margaret Lynch is a mother of two and is parenting columnist with The Journal.
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