The Irish childcare struggle: Three-year waiting lists, full creches and a lack of facilities for babies

Revealed: The cheapest and most expensive creches nationwide

Maeve McTaggart and Cian Ó Broin

Parents around the country could be waiting more than three years for a creche place for their child, with less than 35pc of areas nationwide currently having places available.

The Irish Independent conducted a nationwide survey of 220 creches to get a feel for the pressures both parents and the creche sector are under when it comes to childcare.