Concerns following 'out of the blue' closure of preschool in Cobh

Concerns have been voiced about the “out of the blue” closure of a preschool in Cobh, with calls for the decision to be reversed.

In recent days, parents of children attending the Lus Na Gréine preschool and afterschool in Cobh Family Resource Centre were advised that the service would be shutting its doors.

“With the ongoing lack of sufficient funds and the increase in overhead costs, our services cannot remain open,” said a letter to families.

“Unfortunately, it has been very difficult to maintain the services based on the funding and revenue streams which we receive.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience this causes you.

“Please know that it has been a joy caring for your children, and we appreciate the opportunity you’ve given us to be a part of their lives.”

Yesterday, families gathered outside Cobh Family Resource Centre to highlight their concerns.

One parent, Jennifer, told The Echo that they had been given “zero” communication that there were financial issues.

“It didn’t happen overnight,” she said. “Cobh Family Resource Centre is for the community, we would have stepped in to try to help.”

She said that the local gaelscoil has announced it will open a new preschool, but added that families will still be short an afterschool service.

“They decided to start a preschool because of demand, there were waiting lists for Lus Na Gréine and it was at full capacity.

“This is a national issue, it’s not a unique case, there is school after school being lost — the system at the moment isn’t working,” she said.

Fianna Fáil councillor for the area, Dominic Finn, said the news is “devastating” for parents, “especially one month out from the return back to school”.

He said parents had secured places for their children for the coming year.

“Now to have them pulled right out under their feet at such short notice when parents put their kids down a year in advance for a place, we need this reversed,” he said.

Mr Finn and Labour Party councillor Cathal Rasmussen were due to meet with the school’s board of management yesterday evening to discuss the closure.

“It’ll be a disaster if it closes,” Mr Rasmussen told The Echo.

“There’s a huge shortage of places in Cork, there are waiting lists in all the other places, so it’s a terrible thing for the town and families attending, and it’s an awful situation for the staff as well.”

Lus Na Gréine preschool was contacted for comment.