Crèche closures may force college students to drop out

Students say they will drop out of college courses because of plans to close three Government-funded crèches.

City of Dublin VEC said it is shutting down the facilities which cater for the children of more than 80 students at further education colleges in Ballyfermot, Cabra, and Whitehall because of funding shortages.

Carleen Keogh fears she will not be able to continue her higher diploma in social studies next year because places in local crèches are usually booked up a year in advance. Daughter Molly, 2, has been in the VEC crèche at Ballyfermot College of Further Education since Carleen returned to the college after she was born.