Crèches fear cutbacks as funding reviewed

MANAGEMENT at crèches in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the country are fearing service cutbacks as they await the outcome of a funding review being conducted by the Department of Justice.

Up to 700 community crèches were sent letters by the department at the end of last year informing them that funding was being reviewed under the terms of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2001-2004.

According to crèche owners, who are largely dependant on Department of Justice and health board funding, there is a push by the department to make some of the crèches more self-sufficient, something which they believe is virtually impossible as the families they cater for can’t afford the full costs of childcare.

“We always knew that the grants would last for three years but people in community crèches do not understand how they can move towards being sustainable when these families just can’t afford to pay €700 per month on childcare or anything like it,” said Cork Childcare Committee co-ordinator Kathryn O’Riordan.

Waterford City Childcare Committee co-ordinator, Noreen Healy Magwa said there is a huge concern amongst crèches in her area about whether they will be forced to cutback services.

“People are worried that they won’t be able to offer the same level of service next year. I look after eight centres in Waterford and all of them said that they couldn’t manage without department staff grants,” she said.

Labour party spokeswoman on childcare, Senator Kathleen O’Meara has said that the Government has to make up its mind about how childcare is going to be funded.

“Good childcare does not come cheap and the big question that the Government can’t make its mind up on is how it will be paid for,” she said.

The Equal Opportunities programme is funded under the National Development Plan and has created 21,000 new childcare places since 2001. According to the department, a further 12,000 are being processed.

A Department of Justice spokesman said the review is to ensure the money “is targeted at real disadvantage”.