A significant number of parents who accessed mental health supports or special needs assessments for children found they were inadequate.

With Christmas fast approaching, households around the country are in full preparation mode.

Andrew Maguire's plea comes just two months after the death of his older brother Daniel shattered his family's hearts.

A survey commissioned by TUICU found that almost nine in ten parents (86 per cent) say that children should earn their pocket money by carrying out household chores.

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman previously pledged to halve childcare fees across two years.