Before 5 Family Centre set to reopen in 2024, meeting told

A MEETING took place last Friday between representatives of Northside Community Enterprises (NCE), Cork City Childcare, the project team and public representatives for the area, following the news that the Before 5 Family Centre in Churchfield will not reopen until next year.

The closure left 14 staff members without jobs and 100 families in the area without childcare, and though there was brief joy when it was announced that it would reopen under new management, it was then revealed that this would not happen until 2024.

The meeting had been requested by the four TDs for Cork North Central: Colm Burke, Mick Barry, Thomas Gould and Pádraig O’Sullivan, and was facilitated by Fr John O’Donovan, chairperson of the NCE at the premises in Churchfield.

Janet Dennehy from Cork City Childcare provided a detailed account of the facilities available and project engineer Ger McEvoy outlined that substantial work would have to be carried out to the premises before it could reopen.

He also confirmed that a scope of works is currently being prepared and once it was finalised an approximate cost calculation could be made, then once the scope of works and the costs of associated were finalised, a contractor will be employed to carry out the necessary remedial work.

Colm Burke TD for Cork North Central said: “I very much welcome the decision by Northside Community Enterprises to take on this project which will involve substantial expenditure to bring the facility up to date and required health and safety standards.

“This project will take a number of months but it is important that the full comprehensive childcare facilities are provided in the area at the earliest possible date. Cork City Childcare representatives confirmed that they are providing support to the former employees of the Before 5 Childcare facility.” 

Deputy Burke added “Once all of the remedial work is carried out on the premises NCE will have to register the facility with Túsla. The facility will have to meet all required safety standards before the premises can reopen.”

Christine Mullins had worked in Before 5 for 12 years, and said that the news that lots of work must be done comes as a surprise to the staff, saying: “We were told that it was fit for purpose to open, we were set to go back on August 31. I understand that as the Before 5 company doesn’t exist anymore they have to reregister and have to be in compliance for it to open as a childcare, but it has been a childcare already.”