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06/22/2005: "New childcare funding package"

Now this interets me. Michael McDowell's expected to announce details of a multi-million Euro package for childcare services thoughout the country. Reports say the funding would be used to encourage groups to set up after school childcare services in school buildings.
Thinking about moving back to Ireland one of the biggest concerns for me is childcare. What do you do when your child finishes school at 3 (or whatever time young kids finish school), both parents work until 5 and you have no friends or family in the town who can help? We're sorted here at the moment thanks to an excellent daycare, but daycares in Ireland are a scandalous price (twice the EU average) and when our child starts school proper he'll finish in the afternoon and will need looking after. Most of these services in Ireland suck big time. I don't mind paying higher taxes here because at least I get the services I need ... not so in Ireland. Why move back at all!?!
Related:
• Report - Developing Childcare in Ireland[PDF], A Review of progress to end 2003 on the implementation of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 – 2006.
• Childcare Survery 2005 - with some astonishing information on the costs of childcare.

Replies: 7 tráchtaí

This is a problem facing a growing number of families. Having shelled out a huge chunk of their income to buy a plasterboard shack within a two hour drive of their workplace, they face the cost of having Junior looked after while they fulfil their roles as salary slaves. Unless there's a willing and able Granny nearby who can mind the little 'un, some couples are having to make a stark choice - buy a house or start a family, 'cos they can't afford to do both.

We congratulate ourselves in Ireland for having created a dynamic economy over the last decade. But having done so, it seems that we forgot about creating an equitable society at the same time.

Gerry O'Sullivan, Dé hAoine (Fri), Meitheamh (Jun) 24th,

Wasn't it only a few years ago they were talking about creating the budget to encourage stay at home mothers to leave the home and find work? Some chance when you're paying through the nose for everything! It's ridiculous.

maca, Dé Luain (Mon), Meitheamh (Jun) 27th,

..both parents work until 5

And get home at 7.

Hugh Green, Dé Luain (Mon), Meitheamh (Jun) 27th,

Too right Hugh.
One of the good things about working in Finland is that you can walk out at 4pm and nothing is said. In my last job in Ireland i'd work 3 hrs overtime most days with not a word of thanks (or a dime to show for it), but be a minute late in the morning and they'd be whinging and moaning.
Jaypers, why am I thinking of moving home at all?

maca, Dé Luain (Mon), Meitheamh (Jun) 27th,

>Jaypers, why am I thinking of moving home at all?

Exactly? Why? Probably cause you love it, everyone is a Paddy and understand the expressions you use, they have Tayto and good tae in the shops, the Guinness is good, everyone is happy to see ya ...
But to be honest the more I see of other bits of the Europe I realise how bad things can be.

High prices on homes, and low wages. High taxes (VAT), poor public transport, high car insurance ... the list goes on. But I guess the biggest problem is money, it's too frigging expensive for almost everything in Ireland.

Last time I was up home in Donegal Town, and nice house was going for about 450,000e, a plain old council house was going for about 250,000e. With the pay and these kinds of prices I can't figure out how people manage. I was in Amsterdam earlier this year, a nice 2 bedroom flat costs about 225,000e, I asked me friend who lives in Dublin and he reckoned the same thing there would cost about 500,000.

So how did we manage it? The Netherlands is about the size of Northern Iron, and has a population of 16 million, and Ireland which is 4 times the size with a 1/4 of the population is more expensive for poperty (and beer)?

But ye can't beat the craic!

U need to make this box bigger, i can see 1/2 of what I typed, makes it a pain to proofread.

Mick, Dé Céadaoin (Wed), Meitheamh (Jun) 29th,

"U need to make this box bigger, i can see 1/2 of what I typed, makes it a pain to proofread"

Jaysus some people just whinge and moan!

But do countries not generally balance out?
Finland, for example, can be quite expensive. Houses are actually very cheap and the standard of living is generally excellent but cars, food, clothes, drink etc are all quite expensive. The tax is high and the salaries suck, especially in certain fields. Both the missus & I would (I hope) be looking at a nice hike in salary if we moved back to Ireland.
Housing is definitly my biggest concern, plus childcare, after that i'd say it's not that far off Finland. And people seem to mamage in Ireland ... but how do they manage? Are most Irish people these days up to their necks in depth?

maca, Dé Céadaoin (Wed), Meitheamh (Jun) 29th,

Interesting article from the Independent about Ireland being the happiest country:

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1425006&issue_id=12683&eid=132426


We rank among happiest in Europe despite income gap

IRISH people are among the happiest and most content in Europe despite having the widest gap between the well-off and the poor, and inferior health and transport services.

Mick, Dé hAoine (Fri), Iúil (Jul) 1st,