21 Childcare Providers Close Their Doors Since CORE Funding Cuts Announced
Speaking to childcare providers across the country, Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has said the CORE Funding cuts announced by the DCYA have already resulted in 21 childcare providers shutting their doors – with more to come.
An Teachta Tóibín: “Since 2017, nearly 800 childcare providers have closed their doors for good. The government-contractor model of the sector where incomes are capped, providers are underfunded, and children’s pre-school education is left detrimentally impacted, is unsustainable. New CORE funding proposals were meant to mark a turn for the better for the sector. Instead, the proposals were delayed for months leaving 4,700 providers in limbo. Months delayed, the proposals have finally been published – but to devastating effect. ECCE providers are seeing their incomes slashed by thousands of euros. Notwithstanding inflation and the cost of living crisis, the funding does nothing to increase wages for childcare workers in the sector or to support these struggling small businesses. In fact the proposals are so bad, our industry sources have told us that 21 providers at least have shut their doors since the proposals were announced.”
“This is a sector on brink of walkout, and/or collapse. Providers are being hit with funding cuts, whilst the government engages in flagrant populism to cap incomes of small businesses to paper over their decades long failed childcare policies. Running costs of providers have increased 70% in the last 11 years whilst providers fees are less now than what they were in 2010. Childcare workers are being paid less than the living wage due to the chronic lack of funding in the sector. Graduate educators are actually being put off working in the sector due to pay and conditions. Providers shutting their doors after 20 years of service. The Minister needs to act now, or face the walkout of a sector teetering on the edge.”
