Meeting on childcare crisis to take place

PROBLEM Crèches turning babies away as they can’t meet staff ratios

A meeting on the current crisis facing the childcare sector in Ireland will take place tonight (Wednesday) at the Hotel Kilmore.

Facilities are struggling with rising costs, staff retention and recruitment, strict standards and what they say is inadequate government funding.

Services across the country are being forced to close their baby rooms in the face of low staff to child ratios despite growing demand.

For every three children aged 12 months and under, a minimum of one childcare professional is required as per the standard in early learning and care services in Ireland for full-day care or part-time provision.

One professional is required for every five children aged between one and two years; and every six children aged two years.

Every eight pre-school children, aged between three and six years, need one professional.

Chair of the Federation of Early Childhood Providers, Elaine Dune, is organising tonight’s meeting.

Paula Donohoe of Clever Clogs childcare facility, says providing a safe and quality service to parents and their children is the ultimate goal.

In business for the past 16 years, Paula has reluctantly taken the “financial” decision to close her service to babies under one as of March 2024. As someone who is often first to hear of a new pregnancy, she has already had to turn expectant parents away.

“It is heartbreaking,” she said.

“The Minister from the Department [Minister Roderic O’Gorman] is coming out and saying that there is no evidence of closures,” Paula fumed. “All he [Minister O’Gorman] has to do is task them to phone a service and ask them are they closing, are they planning on closing, have they had to close a room, or have they had to change a provision and he’ll have his data at his fingertips.

“I wonder why he’s not doing it.

“I don’t think they want to face the actual facts that are out there,” Paula believes

Childcare service providers and politicians are being urged to attend tonight's meeting in the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan, at 7pm.