Many fear being penalised for working outside the tax system. For hard-pressed parents, childminding is a crucial option. It will require a major cultural shift for a sector that has always existed in the shadows. This would mean, for example, that parents who use registered childminders would be able to avail of a €20-a-week universal childcare subsidy introduced last September. In England, the number of registered childminders has fallen by half over the past 20 years due to reduced supports and an increase in paperwork.

Source: The Irish Times March 26, 2018 00:56 UTC