Dropout fears over childcare cuts

HUNDREDS of women could be forced to drop out of the education system this year after the Department of Education cut childcare funds.

As thousands of students return to college this month, education groups warned yesterday that the cash shortage will have a serious impact on the number of women in education.

The 32 Vocational Education Committees (VECs) have had their grants to provide childcare for further education and training students cut by 37%.

This could lead to hundreds of women deciding against taking courses on the VTOS back-to-education programme, the Youthreach programme for early school leavers and the Senior Traveller Training programme.

The Department of Education provided a total of 4.7 million to VECs for childcare facilities for students on these programmes last year, including an initial allocation of 3m.

This year’s budget just gives a total of 2.9m and the cut will hit students throughout the country.

In Galway city alone, it is estimated that at least 40 women won’t get any money for childcare this year.

“It seems that these people will have to find another way of paying their creche bill and that’s obviously going to create difficulties,” Galway VEC chief executive Pat Ryan said. “We just have no more money in our budgets at the moment and until that changes we can’t give any money to childcare.”

Last year 47 people, of a total of 180 students, on VEC programmes in Galway city received childcare payment.

The VEC’s umbrella body, the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) said yesterday that some of the most marginalised members of society will be affected by the cuts. “It seems ridiculous that the most vulnerable and needy in society could be affected in such a way,” said IVEA general secretary Michael Moriarty. “These students are the most marginalised and could not afford to pay commercial rates for childcare and, consequently, were dependent upon these extremely important supports provided by VECs.”

The IVEA said last night that it is continuing to negotiate with the Government to try and secure some funds for childcare.

The grants scheme was introduced five years ago to encourage people to take part in the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Youthreach and Traveller Training programmes.

In 2002, 1,338 students benefited from the scheme which catered for more than 1,500 children.