It will come as no surprise to parents already paying for creche or after school care that Ireland was just ranked as the second most-expensive country in the OECD for childcare.
I am speaking from painful experience when I say that for my own family, to pay for both full-time creche as well as after school, we would have almost been as well off should I have chosen
not to pursue my career and stayed at home with my children instead.
This, in 2016, lets all agree is pretty tragic. Especially when you know we are living in a world where we are desperately fighting for equal pay and equality in general. It is heartbreaking for so many women in so many families to have spent time and money on education – only to find that holding down or advancing in your career is not even remotely compatible with motherhood when you end up
loosing money by going back to work.
And guess what, it is not only families and gender equality that are hurting from the astronomical money it costs to have your children in daycare here in this country. No, a recent report concluded that Ireland's high childcare costs
need to be addressed to help the country remain competitive with other countries in the fight for investment.
The National Competitiveness Council’s (NCC)
annual report found that Ireland’s international competitiveness has improved in recent years, noting that Ireland rose from sixteenth to seventh in the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook.
The council said that said that this was due to several factors, including Ireland’s “improved fiscal position, strong economic, employment and productivity growth combined with cost competitiveness”.
However, the body warned that despite the economic recovery, Ireland’s outlook is still “precarious”.
The council said that Ireland needs to “address (its) relatively low levels of labour force participation and realise the untapped potential available, particularly
female participation, through addressing the interaction of labour market policies and supports, childcare costs and the costs of returning to work for individuals”.
The report noted that for households with children, the additional costs associated with childcare “represent the largest additional cost associated with taking up either part-time or full-time employment”.
“Childcare costs in Ireland are the second highest and highest in the OECD for couples and lone parents respectively and are not offset, as in some other countries, by benefits in the form of subsidies (or) direct payments,” it said.
The council singled out the high cost of childcare as a disincentive for people to return to the workforce and called it a “pressing concern”.
Has the cost of childcare impacted YOUR choice when it comes to returning to work after children? Join in the conversation with us in the comments, or tweet us at @Herfamilydotie 
