Child Care and ECCE Providers Will Start Rolling Closures Due to Government Underfunding Tomorrow - Tóibín
Aontú Leader and Meath West TD told the Dáil today that there would be a series of Childcare closures around the country starting from tomorrow. Speaking in the Dáil he stated;
“It’s the 11th hour for many Child Care and Early Years Education providers. They have had no option but to announce a series of rolling closures of Childcare facilities around the country. The Minister for Children has introduced a Core Funding Plan which is making it impossible for thousands of small Child Care Facilities to survive. Hundreds of these businesses have closed permanently already and hundreds more will close of the coming months unless the Minister for Children provides a fair amount of funding”.
“The owners of these businesses are being hammered with rising costs and yet they are being squeezed unfairly by a Minister who is reducing their income. It is causing devastation throughout the sector. Unless the Government changes direction and provide adequate funding, thousands of mothers and fathers will have no have no child care for their children. In towns across Ireland Childcare facilities will close their doors tomorrow in the first of many proposed protests. Thousands of families will be discommoded. But these businesses have no option. Aontú reps will join Childcare Staff at protests tomorrow in Dublin, Galway, Ennis, Castlebar and Cork. We urge the Minister to meet ECCE and Childcare providers with a real solution immediately.
