Childcare Costs in Ireland

Average monthly costs by type and government subsidies available

Full-Time Crèche

Low€800/mo

Average€1100/mo

High€1500/mo

Dublin avg€1400/mo

Part-Time Crèche

Low€500/mo

Average€700/mo

High€950/mo

Dublin avg€900/mo

Childminder

Low€700/mo

Average€950/mo

High€1300/mo

After-School Care

Low€300/mo

Average€450/mo

High€650/mo

National Childcare Scheme (NCS)

Universal subsidy: €1.4/hour for all families

Income-assessed: Up to €5.1/hour

Max hours: 45 hours/week

Age: 6 months to school age

Apply at ncs.gov.ie →

ECCE Free Pre-School

Free hours: 15 hours/week

Weeks/year: 38 weeks

Age: 2 years 8 months to 5 years 6 months

Cost: Completely FREE

FREE pre-school for all eligible children

Costs are estimates based on publicly available data. Actual fees vary by provider and location. Contact childcare providers directly for current pricing.

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