The government is facing revolt by some 25,000 childcare workers over demands that they continually upskill - despite many of them earning as little as €18,000 a year.

It is claimed that others on schemes who earn only minimum wage are forced to sign on the dole for the summer - or self-employed workers who are unable to claim dole are on significantly less.

They are planning a national rally outside the Dail on February 17th.

The Irish Examiner reports that a major cause of dissatisfaction is the issue of providing the free pre-school year, which gives 15 hours' care and education a week for 38 weeks to 68,000 three and four-year-olds.

The state only pays centres for 15 hours of direct contact with children, while parents cannot be asked to contribute.

The CEO of Early Childhood Ireland is Teresa Heeney. She says problems with the sector can be put down to a lack of government investment.

It comes as it is reported that parents need to earn up to €30,000 a year to cover the cost of childcare for two children.

That is according to an investigation by the Irish Independent, who say families face bills of more than €2,000 a month to keep a baby and toddler in a creche.

A survey by the paper finds that the average cost of a creche place for a baby is €888 per month - or for two children it is almost €1,600.

However this is much higher in Dublin, with the cost being €1,053 for a baby and nearly €1,900 for two.

The survey of 19 creches found a wide range of prices - ranging from €607 at Bright Start Creche in Co Wexford to €1,150 at Park Academy centres in Dublin and Bray.

Parents have also been hit with rises in childcare costs in the last year, with Central Statistic Office (CSO) figures showing a 2.4% increase.

These people in Dublin and Mullingar say it is very difficult to pay childcare costs and to make ends meet:

Originally posted at 14.11