Cork Labour Party rep slams minister’s ‘poorly timed and worded’ statement on childcare closures
A Labour Party local area rep in Cork has slammed what he has described as a “poorly timed and worded” statement from the Minister for Children on childcare closures.
A Labour Party local area rep in Cork has slammed what he has described as a “poorly timed and worded” statement from the Minister for Children on childcare closures.
In the statement, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman welcomed a “continuing fall in the number of net ELC [Early Learning & Care] service closures this year so far”.
However, the statement comes on the heels of the sudden closure of the Before 5 Family Centre in Churchfield last week.
Earlier this month, the closure of Little Paradise Creche in Frankfield was also announced.
According to new data published by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth, closures of childcare services nationally have fallen to a five-year low.
The latest data on service closures, drawn from the official register at the end of July, shows that the number of net ELC services closures, such as crèches and pre-schools was 46 from January to July this year compared to 71 net closures in 2022, 77 net closures in 2021, 77 net closures in 2020 and 78 net closures in 2019 for the same time period.
According to a statement from the department, the overall number of ELC and standalone School-Aged Childcare (SAC) services is now increasing.
“I am encouraged to see an increase in the overall number of ELC and SAC services nationally, and a continuing fall in the number of net ELC service closures this year so far,” Minister O’Gorman said, in a statement on the latest data.
“The introduction of Core Funding in September 2022 resulted in a €259 million increase in public investment in the sector, supporting the sustainability of ELC and SAC services, as well as providing a basis for improvement in staff wages and affordability for parents.
“That investment will increase by €28 million or 11% for year 2 of the scheme to €287 million, with over €8 million of this additional funding allocated to a further expansion in capacity.
“In addition to this, parental choice is set to be strengthened by Government plans to bring childminders into the scope of regulation and National Childcare Scheme subsidies from later in 2024, in line with the National Action Plan for Childminding 2021-2028.”
However, Labour Party representative in Cork city, Peter Horgan, criticised the statement in the wake of recent closure announcements of childcare facilities in Cork.
“Anyone looking at the childcare landscape in the last number of weeks in Cork would see that there is incredible stress on parents of centres that have closed,” said Mr Horgan.
“The Minister should come to Cork and meet with representatives of the closed providers as a matter of urgency.”
A vigil organised in a bid to save the Before 5 Family Centre is due to take place outside the centre at 1pm tomorrow.
Staff at the centre received texts at 3pm last Wednesday announcing the centre’s immediate closure.
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 preschool last Thursday was told the current board will be dissolved on September 4, and a liquidator has been appointed.
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