Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has ruled out the state covering insurance costs for crèches in crisis and insisted that the controversy is "under control".

The CEO of the country’s largest community education organisation, which Minister for Children Katherine Zappone helped found, has warned the crisis at creches in disadvantaged areas is not confined to Cork.

One of the casualties of our economic humiliation was that social services so very long in the building, were reduced, almost fatally in some instances. 

Hundreds of community creches in disadvantaged areas nationwide “have reached breaking point”, according to a childcare expert.

Parents have urged the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to provide staff funding to seven community creches in Cork city which are at risk of closure.

Seven creches looking after vulnerable toddlers in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Cork City could be facing closure.