Kildare pre-school providers to benefit from €8.4m national fund

Kildare childcare services are to benefit from a funding increase, including the Kildare Steiner School and the Newbridge Family Resource Centre Ltd.

A total of €8.4m has been allocated to 683 pre-school providers nationwide – an increase of €4.4m on the amount announced for this programme in 2017.  

Deputy Fiona O’Loughlin said today; “Having access to good quality, affordable childcare is hugely important to families in South Kildare.  Although I welcome the inclusion of 14 Kildare childcare providers in Strand 3, I am disappointed that Kildare received no funding under Strand 1 and only had one successful application for Strand 2.  With such a young population, Kildare urgently needs an increase in childcare places and grants to improve existing facilities.

SEE ALSO: Kildare schools to get science and maths awards

“In a rush to build houses in Kildare, it is vital that the necessary infrastructure be in place including an adequate number of quality Early Years services”.    

The funding will be used to provide more than 2,200 new childcare places, maintenance and building work as well as outdoor play areas and is available immediately to successful applicants.  

Strand 1 provides new Early Years places, Strand 2 is for building improvements and maintenance and Strand 3 is for the construction of natural outdoor play areas.