Figures show that Fingal has the lowest levels of public childcare in the country with a high proportion of private childcare providers operating out of publicly funded community centres in the area.
Aontú Cllr Ellen Troy says
“Currently a massive 80% of childcare providers in public facilities in Fingal are private enterprises rather than not-for-profit community childcare providers.
There are currently 20 childcare providers operating out of premises either owned by, funded or supported by Fingal County Council. Of these 20 childcare providers, 4 are public providers and 16 are private businesses.
A public provider has come to me and pointed out the glaring disparity in the numbers of public childcare centres operating in this area. They say that in Dublin, 33% of childcare providers are public with the national figure running at 25%. By contrast, only 5% of childcare services in Fingal are public, with 16 public providers compared to 274 private services.
‘This provider has said that it has been attempting to expand its services into community facilities in other areas of Fingal but has been unable to do so as private operators are using the community facilities. This is patently unfair and I am at a loss as to why it is being allowed to happen.
Many public providers operate out of Local Authority-managed premises in the heart of communities experiencing disadvantage. This is not the case in Fingal.
In Fingal, thousands of families experience poverty. Public childcare is absolutely vital for these families as it is accessible and affordable. We all know the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, and this is especially true in areas of social disadvantage. For example, so many of the public childcare facilities offer parenting programmes and family outreach supports so it is genuinely inclusive, and genuinely needed
Public childcare is incredibly effective and a vital community service. It results in better outcomes for children and families and surely that is what we should be striving for.
I want answers from Fingal County Council executive team as to why it is allowing private enterprises to operate out of public facilities. I believe this would be terribly unfair and inequitable at the best of times but in the current climate when families are at their wits end trying to make ends meet it is simply unbelievable”.
