Cork childcare in crisis as over 130 facilities close in five years

More than 130 childcare facilities have closed across Cork in the last five years, according to child and family agency Tusla.

The 134 facilities, including pre-schools, school-age services, and early years services, closed between January of 2020 and October of 2025.

Within the first 10 months of 2025, six preschools and 11 school-age services closed across the city and county, bringing the number of closures in Cork to 17 at the end of October. By the end of 2024, 19 had closed.

Between January of 2020 and October of 2025, 48 new pre-schools were opened in Cork, while 84 closed; 326 school-age services were introduced, with 50 closing; and six new childminding services were introduced, with no closures announced.

Speaking to The Echo, Rowena Fisher, who is the owner of Phyll’s Pre-school in Bealnamorrive, said the figures are “not at all surprising”.

“The childcare sector is at an absolute breaking point, and there’s no pretending otherwise,” she added.

“It’s all down to chronic underfunding. It's not a sustainable or viable business anymore,” said Ms Fisher.

“I don’t know how I’m still here; I’m just hanging on.

“We’re very much over-regulated. It’s very hard to make ends meet, and then with the overwhelming paper work on top of that, it just feels to me that the control of my private business is gone.

“It’s so sad. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think about closing down,” she continued.

“So many providers are feeling stressed, anxious and unsure of the future – and that’s not a personal failing on anyone. The system is just under so much strain.

“More and more services are going to go and the only way out of this is adequate funding.” 

Joanne Bermingham, owner of Glanmire Childcare, said the industry has become “so over-governed".

“The way it’s been set up, the whole system - it's sad more than anything,” said Ms Bermingham.

“We’re very lucky, we’re doing okay, but there are so many out there that can’t keep up with the demands.

“There are purpose-built centres being built, but nobody is taking them on because we’re so over governed.

“It’s not great, the way it’s monitored – even parents are being highly governed.

“I can see why no-one is taking on creches or preschools, and why people are leaving,” she added.

“It’s gone from one to about six or seven groups that can come in unannounced.

“The number of closures isn’t surprising to me – I’m surprised by the number that are actually staying open.” 

The figures were provided to Sinn Féin Cork North Central TD, Thomas Gould in response to a parliamentary question, who said they show that there is a “crisis in Cork’s childcare sector”.

"It is very concerning that so many [facilities] have closed in the last five years, including 17 up to the end of October 2025,” said Mr Gould.

“It is positive that more facilities have opened than have closed, but the reality is that these are not enough to match our growing population.

“The solution to this is stronger enforcement on developers who commit to building childcare facilities alongside estates, coupled with increased investment in the early years sector."