'Our priority is the children': Staff sorrow at the closure of Before 5

Staff at the Before 5 Family Centre in Churchfield fought back tears yesterday as they spoke about the 100 pre-school children left without childcare following the centre’s sudden closure this week.

The centre, which has been at the heart of the northside for five decades, employed 14 people and had pre-school spaces for up to 100 children.

The pre-school had been expected to reopen next week after the summer break, but staff, some of whom had worked there for over 20 years, were informed on Wednesday of the centre’s immediate closure.

Christine Mullins, who worked at Before 5 for the past 12 years, said that staff were left shocked and heartbroken by the news.

“We’re demented that we’re losing our jobs but we love the children, our priority is the children,” she said.

Lilian Hanover has worked at Before 5 for 28 years, and she and Ms Mullins became upset at the thought of children who would not now be returning to the pre-school next week.

“We are horrified that we have children with needs who are coming back here that will now have to go somewhere else,” she said.

In a letter addressed to ‘stakeholders’ on Wednesday, the board of Before 5 wrote: “Due to a myriad of different reasons, such as financial challenges, changes in regulations, operational challenges, and recruitment issues, we find ourselves faced with the difficult choice of closing our doors”.

A meeting at the pre-school yesterday was told the current board will be dissolved on September 4, and a liquidator has been appointed.

Local politicians called on the diocese of Cork, which owns the Before 5 building, and Cork City Childcare, which facilitates the provision of childcare services in the city, to work together on a solution.

Fianna Fáil TD Padraig O’Sullivan suggested a solution might be in prospect, and another childcare provider might already be interested.

“From talking to Cork City Childcare, there might be an option or two in the pipeline,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said a vigil to save the centre was planned for 1pm next Tuesday.

“The fear is if it closes the staff will look for jobs somewhere else and they’ll be lost,” Mr Gould said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fitzgerald described the atmosphere as “despondent but there is hope that we can keep the centre open.”

Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins, who attended Before 5 as a child, said it was a sad day. “It went through two recessions and a pandemic, surely we can get funding from government now, if funding is the issue, to keep it open,” he said.