‘Day-care is too expensive, Children’s Minister, Katherine Zappone has said. Minister Zappone wants State subsidies to day-care centres increased even though CSO data show only a small minority of parents want to put their children into full-time day-care. Minister Zappone was responding to a new survey which shows the high cost of full-time day-care.

A Newstalk survey found that the average national monthly cost is now €745. That is an increase of €40 from back in 2013.

The county with the highest costs is Dublin, which has now climbed to an average of €1,047 per month – an €84 increase from five years ago – when Newstalk conducted a similar survey. The county with the lowest costs is Longford with an average monthly charge of €650.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Minister Zappone said: “It’s too much for parents to pay, I accept that.”