How much does a crèche cost in Ireland?

Crèche fees are one of the first big numbers new parents in Ireland go looking for, usually somewhere in the middle of maternity leave with a baby asleep on them. The good news is that the State now sets a ceiling on what most crèches can charge, and there is help with the bill for every family, whatever your income.

Here is how the numbers actually work, as of September 2026.

How much does a full-time crèche place cost in Ireland?

There is no single price. Fees vary from one service to the next and with how many hours you need. What there is now is a maximum fee cap for services in the State's Core Funding scheme, and over 93% of eligible services are in it according to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

From September 2026, the most a Core Funded service can charge each week, before any subsidy, is:

Hours per week	Maximum weekly fee 2026/2027
Less than 10 hours	€56
10 to 19 hours 59 minutes	€112
20 to 29 hours 59 minutes	€168
30 to 39 hours 59 minutes	€224
40 to 49 hours 59 minutes	€280
50 or more hours	€336

These are ceilings, not the going rate. The Department says the majority of parents already pay below the new maximum fees. A crèche that is not in Core Funding is not bound by the caps, so it is always worth asking.

What is the Core Funding fee freeze?

Core Funding is money the State pays crèches and other early learning services towards staff and running costs. In return, services agree not to raise fees. A service in the scheme cannot charge more than it did on 30 September 2021 for the same level of care, or more than it charged when it joined if it opened later.

If a crèche changes its hours, it can only change the fee in proportion. So if the hours go up by 10%, the fee can go up by no more than 10%, and it still has to stay under the cap for that band.

What is the National Childcare Scheme and how much does it pay?

The National Childcare Scheme, usually called the NCS, is the main help with crèche costs. It is paid straight to your crèche or childminder, and they take it off your bill. Your child must be over 24 weeks and under 15, and the service must be registered with Tusla and have an NCS contract.

There are two types of subsidy, and you pick whichever is worth more to you:

• Universal subsidy: €2.14 an hour for up to 45 hours a week, for any family, with no means test. For 45 hours that is €96.30 a week.
• Income-assessed subsidy: up to €5.10 an hour, depending on your income, how many children you have and your child's age and educational stage.

How many hours are covered depends on work. If you, and your partner if you have one, are working, studying or training, you can get up to 45 subsidised hours a week. If not, it is up to 20 hours a week.

Who can get the income-assessed subsidy?

Families with reckonable income under €68,000 a year. Reckonable income is your net family income, after tax, PRSI and USC, minus certain allowable deductions. If it is €34,000 or less, you get the maximum rates.

Those thresholds went up on 31 August 2026, from €26,000 and €60,000. The multiple child discount also rose, to €5,500 if you have 2 children under 15 and €11,000 if you have 3 or more. If you already get the income-assessed subsidy, it is recalculated automatically. If you are on the universal subsidy, run the numbers again in the NCS subsidy calculator, because you may now be better off switching.

How do I apply for the NCS?

You apply online on the NCS website. You will need:

• A verified MyGovID account
• Your child's date of birth and PPS number
• Your employment and income details, and your partner's PPS number and details if you have a partner

Once you are approved you get a code called a CHICK. You give it to the crèche, they register your child and you confirm the hours in your online account. The subsidy then comes off your bill. Awards are renewed each year, and you get notice before yours runs out.

You can also apply by post through the NCS Parent Support Centre, but postal applications take longer and can affect when your subsidy starts. If your crèche start date is close, apply online.

When does free preschool (ECCE) start?

The Early Childhood Care and Education programme, or ECCE, gives free preschool to children who have turned 2 years and 8 months by 31 August. It covers 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 38 weeks a year. Those 15 hours a week are free.

If your child is in a full-day crèche, the ECCE hours come off the day and you pay for the rest. The NCS can still help with those extra hours, and ECCE hours are not deducted from your NCS entitlement.

Under the 2025/2026 caps, the Department put the most a parent would pay for a full-time place with ECCE and the universal NCS at €134.20 a week. Ask your crèche what its fee is once ECCE hours are taken off.

How do I budget for crèche fees?

A little homework up front saves a lot of surprises later.

• Check the published fees. The Childcare Service Search on the NCS website shows the fees of services with an NCS contract, for both NCS and ECCE.
• Work out the real weekly cost. Take the fee, then take off the subsidy for your hours. For example, 25 hours a week in a Core Funded crèche costs at most €168. The universal subsidy for 25 hours is €53.50, so you would pay no more than €114.50.
• Ask about the extras. Deposits, late collection charges, extra hours and how Christmas and mid-term breaks are billed.
• Line it up with your leave. Maternity leave is 26 weeks, with up to 16 more unpaid, and the NCS starts at 24 weeks. Ask the crèche about its settling-in period and whether it is charged, and budget for any overlap before you go back to work.
• Keep your subsidy up to date. If your income drops for reasons outside your control, you can ask for a sudden change assessment.

If the numbers still do not add up, your local City or County Childcare Committee can walk you through the schemes for free.

Making the handover easier

Once the fees are sorted, the next worry is usually the handover. Lullagram lets both parents log feeds, sleeps and nappies on one shared timeline, and makes a simple handover summary for a grandparent or childminder, so the first mornings are a bit less frantic. It is free to try on Android, iPhone and web.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most a crèche can charge in Ireland?

If the crèche is in the State's Core Funding scheme, which over 93% of eligible services are, the most it can charge for 40 to 49 hours a week is €280 before subsidies, as of September 2026. The cap is lower for fewer hours. A service outside Core Funding is not bound by these caps.

Is the National Childcare Scheme means tested?

Only one part of it. The universal subsidy of €2.14 an hour is not means tested. The income-assessed subsidy, worth up to €5.10 an hour, is means tested and is for families with reckonable income under €68,000. You choose whichever is worth more to you.

From what age can I get the NCS subsidy?

From 24 weeks, which is roughly 6 months. The child must be under 15 and the crèche or childminder must be registered with Tusla and have an NCS contract.

Can I get NCS and free preschool (ECCE) at the same time?

Yes. ECCE covers 3 hours a day free, 5 days a week, for 38 weeks of the year. The NCS can help with the hours your child spends in childcare outside those ECCE hours, and ECCE hours are not deducted from your NCS entitlement.

How do I see what a crèche near me charges?

The Childcare Service Search on the NCS website lists services that have an NCS contract, and it shows their fees for NCS and ECCE. You can also ask your local City or County Childcare Committee for a list of services in your area.