Poll reveals why Irish women in their 30s are delaying motherhood

According to a recent poll carried out on behalf of Today FM and the Irish Independent, Irish women in their thirties are postponing having children because of childcare costs.

The Behaviour and Attitudes poll shows that a quarter of women aged between 20 and 49 have been reluctant to start a family due to financial reasons.

The percentage increases for women in their 30's with 32% of those polled explaining that the cost of childcare has left them reluctant to have children.

Concerned that families are not being given the support they need, Orla O' Connor, the director of the National Women's Council of Ireland has said: "We need affordable and accessible child care for all parents and we also need far better leave policies so that parents, both fathers and mothers, can balance family and work life to a far better degree."

According to statistics, families in Dublin are paying, on average, €595 per month for childcare while those outside the capital are spending just under €400.

These statistics follow last week's discussion surrounding the paternity leave proposal.