Most Irish parents count on grandparents as their main source of childcare, according to a new survey.
Grannies and Grandads are relied upon by 42 per cent of Irish families, with 20 per cent opting for creches and childminders, 14 per cent looking to other members of the family and four per cent hiring an au pair.
The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI Family Values poll showed that both grandmothers and grandfathers are rowing in to help ease the financial burden of childcare wherever possible.
The survey also revealed that mothers are more likely than fathers to find organising childcare taxing but single parents are most likely to find it stressful.
Ireland now has one of the oldest maternal ages in the EU (32), with more than 25 per cent of Irish babies born to women over 35.
