Hiring a nanny in Ireland is not as complicated as it sounds — but there is admin. Here's a plain-English guide to costs, tax and everything else you need to know in 2026.
Average nanny costs (2026)
- Dublin: €14–€18/hour gross (roughly €600–€750 a week full-time)
- Cork/Galway: €12–€15/hour
- Rest of Ireland: €11–€14/hour
- Live-in nanny: €400–€550/week plus room and board
Live-in vs live-out
Live-in is cheaper per hour but requires a spare bedroom and clear boundaries. Live-out is the most common choice for Irish families.
A nanny is your employee
This is the biggest difference from a childminder. You must:
- Register as an employer with Revenue
- Operate PAYE, PRSI and USC on her wages
- Pay employer's PRSI on top of gross salary
- Provide payslips
How to register as an employer
Use Revenue's online service (ROS) to register for PAYE. A payroll provider like Paycheck Plus or Nannypaye handles the monthly submissions from around €25/month.
Nanny contract — what to include
- Job title, hours, and duties (childcare, meals, light child-related tidying)
- Gross salary and pay day
- Holiday entitlement (minimum 20 days + bank holidays pro-rata)
- Sick pay policy
- Notice period (typically 4 weeks after probation)
- Confidentiality clause
Statutory entitlements
Nannies get the same rights as any Irish employee — holiday pay, statutory sick pay, maternity leave, and protection under the Employment Rights Acts.
Garda vetting
Ask for a Garda vetting disclosure issued within the last 3 years, plus references from at least 2 previous families.
Interview questions
- Tell me about a typical day with a child my child's age.
- How would you handle a tantrum / a bump on the head / a fussy eater?
- What activities would you plan in a typical week?
- Do you drive? Own car?
- Why are you leaving your current family?
Trial periods
Agree a 3-month probation with a 1-week notice period. Both sides use it as a real test.
Nanny sharing
Two families split one nanny — either the same house each day, or alternating houses. Typical cost per family drops to around €8–€10/hour and each still gets 1:2 or 1:3 care.
See our nanny vs childminder comparison to make sure a nanny is the right fit.