Having children is expensive. Having them in Ireland is incredibly expensive
Skyrocketing rents, house prices and childcare costs have all combined to mean that people can’t afford more than one or two kids
Skyrocketing rents, house prices and childcare costs have all combined to mean that people can’t afford more than one or two kids
Childhood Services Ireland‘s budget submission calls for removal of childcare provider fee freeze and 35% increase in Core Funding
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman signalled his openness to the idea after a debate on childcare provision
Department of Children to allow service providers to raise prices if charging below average rates
Insufficient places for children is a new challenge, says Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman
The housing crisis, difficulties of balancing parenting with paid work, declining marriage rates and the limitations of assisted fertility all have a negative effect
As anyone using childcare amid a dire shortage of places knows, if your creche place disappears suddenly, your job might too
Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies Ireland seeks Budget measures that reflect the true cost of childcare and provide flexible or part-time places to fit work patterns
Parents are advised to lay clear ground rules before hiring a babysitter and to do a paid trial run
Minister commits to examining potential for establishing publicly-run early years education system
Incoming taoiseach Simon Harris is understood to be planning to fast track the move
Seventh Early Childhood Ireland Barometer shows widespread support for access to early years and school-age care for all children
Almost half of childcare services report they have waiting lists.
Forcing builders to provide creches and including pre-school facilities in new primary schools could increase capacity
Despite a slowdown in the rate of closures last year compared with 2022, any indication of continued shrinkage of childcare availability is a big concern
Roderic O’Gorman says money intended to give graduates 10 per cent pay increase given back ‘from my cold dead hand’
A group of parents with young children have come together to set up Care Shared, an informal childcare exchange network
Sinn Féin says Coalition produced ‘budget for landlords’ while teaching bodies say it will not address recruitment and retention challenges
Budget 2024: Funding increase will also allow for additional supports to providers, says Roderic O’Gorman
Budget 2024: Louise Kilbane runs three day care and early learning centres in Sligo and Mayo
Budget 2024: Despite swathe of one-off lump sum payments, there is disappointment at just €12 increase in core social welfare and €4 rise in qualified child payment
Those on social welfare, at work, some mortgage payers, some landlords, and tenants have seen gains in the budget
Announcing an expansionary budget when economy is at full employment and inflation is high appears to be politically motivated
Analysis: Budget 2024 announced another round of once-off measures, but there are questions now about whether some are becoming semi-permanent
Early Childhood Ireland putting its case to politicians in advance of the budget
Broad support for better funding and policy change to support financially-stressed young parents and the childcare sector
Exclusion applies to providers of childcare under scheme for front-line workers
Claim arises out of programme, which led to Tusla and gardaí investigations
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices