There are growing concerns that parents will face a hike in the cost of crèche fees in the New Year.

When Finance Minister Michael Noonan confirmed in last week’s Budget that the minimum wage would rise by 50c to €9.15, experts within the sector confirmed they believe childcare fees will rise with it.

This fresh concern comes just days after the Irish Independent revealed that industry experts fear there will not be enough places or childcare workers to provide care for the extension of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme by a year.

The ECCE scheme currently offers 15 hours a week of free pre-school care to children aged three for one year.

From September 2016, the scheme will accept children up until the age of five, and it will introduce additional entry points in January, April and September. It is currently restricted to just September.

Speaking about problems with the ECCE extension, one source said salary is a huge factor as many facilities use the privately paid fees to subsidise the cost of having children who are enrolled in the scheme.

Read the full article on The Irish Independent website.