Creche pleads for funding to avoid closure
A crunch meeting to save the facility is due to take place today between the voluntary managers of the Little Steps facility in Farranree, in Cork, and various state agencies who provide funding.
Parents of the 45 children who attend the creche spoke out yesterday to highlight the crisis.
They met with the Lord Mayor, Cllr Michael O’Connell, and locally based Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, who has responsibility for Disability, Equality and Mental Health, who arranged today’s crucial meeting.
Don O’Leary, the chairperson of the creche’s voluntary board of directors, said the HSE has helped tide the facility over for the last two weeks.
But he said the situation has now come to a head, and he doesn’t have the money to pay staff after Friday.
“It was heartbreaking to break the news to the parents and staff,” he said.
“We have 45 kids and 10 workers who are excellent at their jobs. We have very committed parents too.
“If we have to close for any length of time, we will lose children.”
The state-of-the-art facility opened in February 2008 after a 15-year campaign.
It is one of only eight not-for-profit community creches providing affordable children in designated city areas which help local parents get back to work, education or training.
But the banks withdrew overdraft facilities for such Community Development Programmes (CDP) four years ago.
The situation was compounded late last year when the Government pulled CDP funding.
Despite that, the creche has funding in place from other sources for the next two years but the next tranche isn’t due to be paid out until next month.
Mr O’Leary said they now need emergency funding to keep the doors open.
Local Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien called for common sense to prevail and for the funding to be front-loaded.
“Without this facility, many parents will struggle to afford childcare and some may be forced to leave the workforce,” he said.
Long-term funding issues can be addressed later once the facility has been secured, he added.
Cllr Thomas Gould (SF) said it was a disgrace overdraft facilities can be withdrawn from such projects at a time when the taxpayer owns most of the banking sector.
Mr O’Connell said last night following contact with the HSE yesterday, he was confident a resolution will be found at today’s meeting.
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