OECD report criticises Ireland's family funding

Public spending on families in Ireland is among the lowest in the European Union, according to a report by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development).

At 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product, Ireland's spending is almost half that of Scandinavian countries, and more closely aligned with the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The OECD report described the lack of viable childcare options as “a major barrier to work'‘ and said that ...