Childcare in Dublin: crèche costs, free preschool and the National Childcare Scheme

Dublin childcare is expensive, but since September 2026 the government caps what a crèche can charge, and two schemes take a real bite out of the bill.

The short version

• From September 2026, a crèche in the state's Core Funding scheme can charge at most €280 a week for 40 to 50 hours of care, before any subsidy [4].
• Every family can claim the universal National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidy of €2.14 an hour, up to €96.30 a week. That brings the maximum full-time cost to €183.70 a week [3][4].
• Households with reckonable income under €68,000 can get a bigger, income-assessed subsidy. At or below €34,000 you get the top rate [3].
• The free ECCE preschool gives every child 15 hours a week for two school years, starting from about age 2 years 8 months [1].
• You need a PPS number and a verified MyGovID to apply online, so sort those out first [2].

What childcare looks like in Dublin

Australians use "daycare" and "kindy". In Dublin you'll hear crèche (full-day care, usually from babies to school age), Montessori or preschool (sessions of about three hours, often for the free ECCE year), and childminder (care in someone else's home). After-school care is often run by the same crèches.

Your options, roughly:

A childminder can look after up to five children under six, including their own [1]. Crèches and childminders must meet legal standards, and you can check registered services through Tusla's register and the NCS service search [1].

Waiting lists

Waiting lists for baby rooms are long in much of Dublin, especially in family suburbs and near business districts where both parents commute. Many families get on lists during pregnancy. If you're arriving from Australia with a baby, contact crèches as soon as you know your area, and be ready to take a place a bit further from home.

What it costs in 2026

There's no reliable official average fee for Dublin, and we won't make one up. What we can tell you is the ceiling. From September 2026, services in Core Funding, which is over 93% of eligible providers, must keep their weekly fees under these caps [4]:

The government says about 12% of services had to drop at least one fee to meet the new caps, and most parents already paid below them [4]. Dublin crèches tend to sit nearer the top of the range than rural ones, so budget close to the cap and be pleasantly surprised.

Two things the caps don't cover: services outside Core Funding, and private nannies or au pairs. The Budget for 2026 also committed to further steps towards a €200-a-month childcare goal, with details expected after a public consultation [5].

The free ECCE preschool year

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme is free preschool for every child. Here's how it works [1]:

• Your child must be at least 2 years and 8 months by 31 August of the year they start.
• They get 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 38 weeks a year.
• They're entitled to two full academic years.
• It's run in crèches, Montessoris, preschools and playgroups. Learning materials are included; you pay for meals and any extra hours.

There's no separate application. You enrol with a provider that offers ECCE, and they register your child. If you use a crèche full-time, ECCE covers part of the day and you pay for the rest. The NCS can't be claimed for the ECCE hours themselves, only for the hours around them [6].

ECCE runs on the school calendar, so if you land in Dublin in February, ask whether your child can join mid-year. Many services allow it.

The National Childcare Scheme and how to apply

The NCS is a subsidy paid straight to your provider, which then lowers your bill. There are two parts.

Universal subsidy

Any family can claim it, regardless of income, at €2.14 an hour for up to 45 hours a week, which is up to €96.30 a week [3].

Income-assessed subsidy

From 31 August 2026, the income limits rose [3]:

• Reckonable income at or below €34,000: the maximum hourly rate. For a baby aged 24 to 52 weeks that's €5.10 an hour.
• Between €34,000 and €68,000: a sliding scale. At €60,000, the rate for that age group is €2.84 an hour.
• Multiple Child Discount: your reckonable income is reduced by €5,500 if you have two children under 15, or €11,000 for three or more.

"Reckonable income" is household income after tax, PRSI, USC and allowable deductions, not your gross salary. If you're new to Ireland and on emergency tax, your first year's figures can look odd, so use the NCS subsidy calculator before you choose [3].

Applying, step by step

1. Get PPS numbers for you and your child. You'll need them for any state payment.
2. Set up a verified MyGovID account. Only the applying parent needs one [2].
3. Apply online at ncs.gov.ie with your child's details, income and employment information for you and your partner [2].
4. Get your CHICK code. When you're approved, you receive a Childcare Identifier Code Key [2].
5. Give the CHICK to your provider. They register your child, and the subsidy comes off your bill [2].
6. Renew each year. You'll be reminded at least 20 working days before your award expires [2].

Can't apply online? The NCS Parent Support Centre on (01) 906 8530 handles postal applications, which are slower [2]. The subsidy applies to children from 24 weeks to under 15, and only with a provider registered with Tusla and contracted with the Department [2].

A tip from the fine print: if you switch from the universal subsidy to an income-assessed one, the new award ends the old one. Give your provider the new reference quickly or you could be charged full fees for a gap [3].

How it compares with the Child Care Subsidy at home

If you used CCS in Australia, the Irish system will feel stingier per hour but simpler to apply for. Australia's subsidy is a percentage of your fee, means-tested and capped per hour, and Services Australia introduced changes from 5 January 2026 [7]. Ireland pays a flat hourly amount on top of a fee cap.

CCS is for approved care in Australia, so it stops when you leave. Tell Services Australia about your move so you don't build up a debt, and finalise your family payments for the year [7].

Before you go

Your Australian child health records, immunisation history and birth certificates are worth bringing. Crèches ask about vaccinations, and Ireland's schedule is slightly different from ours. If you're still sorting healthcare, the reciprocal agreement between Australia and Ireland covers emergency public hospital treatment on the same terms as residents, but Smartraveller still recommends insurance while you settle [8].

Looking for a crèche that actually has a place? Ask in Cooee Ireland, our Facebook group for Australians in Ireland. Parents share which services had baby-room spots and how long the NCS took to come through.

Sources

1. Childcare options and the free pre-school scheme – HSE
2. National Childcare Scheme – Citizens Information
3. Minister Foley announces increased childcare subsidies for 47,000 children – gov.ie, 31 August 2026
4. Minister Foley announces details of maximum fee caps alongside over €480 million for Core Funding Year 5 – gov.ie, 3 June 2026
5. Bigger childcare subsidies available to more families under plan to increase income limits – The Irish Times, December 2025
6. National Childcare Scheme explainers – Early Childhood Ireland
7. How much Child Care Subsidy you can get – Services Australia
8. Ireland travel advice – Smartraveller

Keep reading

• Schools in Dublin: enrolment queues, patronage and the Irish exemption
• Getting a PPS number in Dublin: proof of address and MyGovID
• Cost of living in Dublin vs Sydney and Melbourne
• Medicare when you live abroad