Childcare is going to become more expensive and more difficult to obtain, delegates to the Siptu biennial conference in Cork have been told.
Economic and Social Research Institute economist John FitzGerald yesterday said while the scarcity of affordable childcare was already a big issue, people should be aware that they "ain't seen nothing yet".
Because many more women than men were going on to third-level education, employers would soon face a world where women would account for a significantly larger share of the supply of skilled labour than men.
"To be successful, employers will have to attract and hold skilled women, as well as men, many of them with young children. At the same time, the supply of childcare is likely to fall."
The reason for this, he said, was that traditionally childcare had been provided by women with "less than Leaving Cert" education. "Their numbers will fall over the coming decade as more and more women remain on in education."
As a result, the price of childcare would rise, as providers would have higher potential earnings in other sectors, due to their higher level of education.
Mr FitzGerald said while the biggest cohort in society today comprised people in their 20s, in a decade it would be those in their 30s, which would have "big implications for society and the world of work".
"Today there are good returns to be made from discos and nightclubs. In a decade, those who at present are up late dancing, will be up late walking their homes with small children. The number of young parents will rise over the coming decade. More than ever before they will be well educated, with expectations of a good career for both partners."
Mr FitzGerald said the economy had the capacity to continuing outperforming the rest of the EU until 2010, but there was a limit on the extent to which growth was desirable.
"We could grow the economy by bringing in more and more people, but the more people we bring in, the more houses we need and the more pressure there is on infrastructure.
"So there is a limit on how rapidly it is desirable for the economy to grow, and I think it is growing at the limit at the moment. If you are living in Dublin, Cork or Galway, the infrastructure is really creaking at the seams in spite of all the investment."
He also said there were big questions facing society about the type of economy and labour market we should have in the future. "If we are to be successful, it is not just about GNP, it is about making Ireland a good place to live in. Even enlightened employers see this in terms of their success."
Why was it, he asked, that Galway was "the success story of the last 50 years and not Dublin?
"It may be because it has both Druid and Macnas. It's not that most people in Galway go to the theatre, but creating an aura of being a good place to live is important for business and it's important for the people who live there."