100 community creches face closure

OVER 100 community creches could close, or be forced to severely cut back their services, if the Government goes ahead with a plan to curtail the payment of benefits to lone partners and those with disabilities working in Community Employment (CE) schemes.

Following replies to Dáil questions indicating the Government is set on implementing in the next budget a recommendation from the McCarthy report that “double payments” should be ended, SIPTU’s community branch said there was serious threat to services throughout economically disadvantaged areas.

In particular, community childcare will be severely impacted, as over 25% of staff are CE workers, with a high proportion dependent on welfare allowances.