Kildare Braces For Childcare Price Surge As Parents Fear They May Have To Quit Work

Thursday, 4 December 2025 12:07

By Martin Osborne - Head Of News

Some parents are now concerned that they may have to quit their jobs as fees will become unsustainable.

Local parents have been warned that more creches throughout the county will increase fees in the new year as more creches plan to withdraw from the Government’s Core Funding scheme.

Just this week, Kfm News reported how parents of children who attend a Newbridge creche have been told to prepare for major childcare price increases next spring after Play and Learn Childcare and Education became the latest provider to withdraw from the scheme.

Some parents are now concerned that they may have to quit their jobs as fees will become unsustainable.

Under the current funding model, Elaine Dunne, Chairperson of the Federation of Early Childhood Providers, says newly opened childcare services can charge up to €354 per week for full-time care - or €295 for 40–49 hours - and still qualify for the full Core Funding allocation.

In contrast, long-established providers operating under the older fee structure are tied to much lower weekly rates: €243.30 for wobblers and €233.37 for toddlers and preschoolers.

The letter notes these fees are significantly below what newer services are allowed to charge.

Speaking on Kildare Today, Dunne said parents and providers need to work together and channel frustration at Government level.

Meanwhile, the Government will publish an action plan on childcare costs before Christmas.

It is expected to outline how it intends to get the costs to €200 per month per child, as committed to in the Programme for Government.

It's also expected to include immediate actions to reduce prices.

Children's Minister Norma Foley says this will be followed by a second phase.

She said the second phase will include public consultation, including inputs on what the €200 "will mean for different services".

More from Local News

Vacuum-Packing Machine Lid Killed Worker As Kildare Town Firm Faces Court Over Second Fatality

The court heard that on the morning of May 14th 2020, Binak Cokaj, who was working as a packer at the company’s Curragh Road facility in Kildare Town, suffered fatal head injuries when the lid of a Cryovac vacuum-packing machine closed on him while he was at work.
Water Test Failure Disrupts On-Base Military Training At Curragh Camp

While security and day-to-day operations at the camp remain unaffected, the Defence Forces say they could not continue feeding students, resulting in the temporary suspension of on-base training courses, particularly in the Military College.
Government Told Grok Clothing-Removal Feature Has Been Disabled Worldwide

Gardai are investigating the platform after it was found to have been generating and sharing sexually explicit images of people, including children.
Kildare North TD Says He Acted Immediately To Repay Pension Overpayment When It Came To Light

Audio

Speaking to Kfm News this afternoon, he said some ministers had agreed to surrender a portion of their salaries back to the State through a salary-sacrifice arrangement, with the process handled by Government payroll administrators.
Maynooth Study: Pet Loss Causes The Same Level Of Grief As Losing A Loved One

Only the death of a parent - and especially a child - resulted in higher levels of prolonged grief.
Kildare TD James Lawless Pays Back Following Pension Error While Martin Heydon Unaffected

It’s understood Kildare North TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has fully repaid an overpayment arising from incorrect pension deductions.
Call To Review Cycle Lane In Maynooth Following Two Accidents, With One Resulting In 86-Year-OId Cyclist Breaking His Hip

Raising the motion in the recent Clane-Maynooth MD meeting, Fine Gael cllr Tim Durkan noted that this cyclist is well-known and highly accomplished
Up To €1,000 Available For Kildare Parent And Toddler Groups

New or standalone groups can receive up to €1,000, while groups linked to larger organisations can receive up to €800.