As politicians prepare to hit the doorsteps in the coming months they can expect to hear as much about creche bills as Irish Water ones.
That’s because of the sheer expense of this service.
Childcare for two toddlers can cost up to €25,000 a year in Dublin, it has emerged.
Such bills are among the highest in the EU, with many parents here paying out more than 40pc of their incomes for it.
TV presenter Anna Daly has compared the costs to a ‘second mortgage’ and this is indeed the case for many parents.
The high costs also force many mothers to stay at home to mind their children, putting a brake on their careers.
There have been calls for action in the Budget – by way of paid paternity leave or tax relief on childcare – to ease the burden.
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