Childcare Costs in Ireland 2026

Crèche fees in Ireland are among the highest in the EU. Full-time care (typically 8am–6pm, 5 days per week) for children under 2.5 years costs:

These are typical market rates before NCS subsidies. After applying NCS, the net cost can be significantly lower depending on household income (see section 3).

For children aged 2.5–5.5 years, the ECCE free preschool scheme reduces costs substantially (see section 2). For children over 5.5, school starts and the daily childcare need shifts to after-school care only, typically €200–€400/month.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme provides free preschool education to all children from the age of 2 years and 8 months until they start primary school.

Key details

• Hours: 2.5 hours per day (typically 9am–11:30am or 11:30am–2pm).
• Weeks: 38 weeks per year, aligned with the school year.
• Eligibility: any child who has reached 2 years and 8 months of age by 1 September of the programme year and has not yet started primary school.
• Cost to parents: free. Providers are funded directly by the government.
• Providers: ECCE places are available in registered childcare services — crèches, playschools, and Montessori settings. Not all providers offer ECCE on its own; many require additional paid hours alongside the free session.

Find ECCE providers near you at gov.ie/ecce. Register with your preferred provider as early as possible — popular settings fill their ECCE places in advance.

The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides income-based subsidies to help families with the cost of registered childcare. The subsidy is applied directly to the childcare provider's invoice — you pay the net amount after the subsidy is deducted.

Who can apply

• Any family with a child aged 24 weeks to 15 years (or up to 18 years for children with disabilities).
• The child must attend a registered childcare provider.
• You must have a PPS number and be ordinarily resident in Ireland.

How the subsidy is calculated

The NCS uses net household income to calculate a subsidy rate. A universal subsidy applies to all eligible children regardless of income (currently €1.40 per hour). An additional income-based subsidy applies on top for families below certain income thresholds.

At the lower end of income, families can receive up to €5.10 per hour in subsidy, which can reduce a €1,400/month crèche bill to under €600/month depending on hours used.

Apply online at ncs.gov.ie. You need your PPS number, income information (your most recent tax return or payslip), and the name of your registered childcare provider.

The single most important piece of advice for families moving to Dublin: register for a crèche place as soon as possible, ideally before you arrive.

Popular Dublin crèches in areas like Ranelagh, Rathmines, Sandymount, Blackrock, and Stillorgan maintain waiting lists of 12–24 months or longer. Families who register at birth sometimes find their child reaches 18 months before a place becomes available.

Outside Dublin, and in suburban areas further from the city centre, waiting lists are shorter and in some cases non-existent. This is one reason why commuter towns are attractive to young families — childcare availability (and cost) is noticeably better.

Use our Commuter Finder to explore towns within commuting distance of Dublin where rent, childcare, and school access are more manageable.

What to do when you arrive

• Search Tusla's registered provider database for crèches in your target area.
• Contact your top 5–8 crèches within the first week of arriving. Ask: "Do you have space?" and "Can we join your waiting list?"
• Submit your child's details to multiple waiting lists simultaneously.
• Ask about NCS registration — a crèche that is not registered with NCS means you cannot claim the subsidy there.