Mothers in Ireland with higher childcare costs are working fewer hours, a new study has shown.
The rising costs of childcare in the county is pushing women with children out of the workforce.
A new study conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) showed that low-income families are most affected by the costs, with childcare amounting to one fifth of their income in some cases.
Helen Russell, co-author of the report, said that women with higher childcare costs when their child was aged three worked fewer hours when their child was aged five.
She said:
“Our findings show that, for example, 10 per cent higher childcare costs were associated with 30 minutes less paid work by mothers per week.”
She also added on Morning Ireland today that costs become even more complicated when the child or children start going to school.
Instead of childcare costs dropping when the child started education, women were often not returning to work afterwards.
The research showed that the average cost of childcare in Ireland depends on the type of childcare being used.
These worked out as follows:
- A childminder in the family home: €5.70 per hour ( €6.13 in 2017 prices)
- A childminder outside the home: €4.43 per hour ( €4.76 at 2017 prices)
- A centre-based care parents paid an average of €4.48 per week (€4.82 at 2017 prices)
The above costs reference parents with one child, meaning that the financial burden is higher for families with more than one child or lone parents.
Costs were also higher for those living in Dublin, East Leinster and other urban areas.
This comes after another study showed that childcare costs in Ireland are among the highest in the 36 Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.
This is preventing women from working and therefore decreasing mother’s career earnings.
