Calls for this Kildare town to be included in €135m childcare scheme
Aidan Farrelly TD (SD) has called for Kilcock to be included in the scheme
In January the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley announced the multi-million package to fund a pilot scheme that will see the government buy and fit-out buildings to provide high-quality, accessible early learning and childcare services.
“Kilcock is a perfect location for this pilot,” Kildare North TD Aidan Farrelly (SD) said. “With population growth of more than 50% in the past 10 years childcare is a particularly acute problem in the town.
“Whether it’s early years or after school care, the town is crying out for additional spaces. We are in constant contact with parents who are desperate to find somewhere – some are even contemplating resigning from work and suspending their careers to compensate for a lack of services.
“It’s a damming indictment of successive governments who - just like the rest of us - could clearly see the massive population growth all across Kildare North and didn’t move aggressively to ensure that these vital services were in place to match that population growth.”
Under the pilot scheme capital funding will be used to acquire and fit out buildings. The Department will work with not-for-profit providers to design and open services, and these providers will run the services.
Up to eight buildings will be selected for investment this year by the Department with each one providing more than 100 places.
The state-led initiative, which has a budget of €135m, aims to provide thousands of places up to 2030.
It’s expected that the programme will commence immediately, with up to eight services being funded this year and the level of investment will ramp up over the lifetime of the Government.
Deputy Farrelly, who is the Social Democrat’s spokesperson for Children last year proposed the concept of Páistecare, a public model of childcare and early years services, as the best way to address the endemic problems in the sector.
“Young families are desperately struggling to get a childcare place for their children, hindering their ability to balance work and family life,” he said.
“For those who do manage to secure childcare, they face crippling costs – putting a huge strain on family finances.
“Meanwhile, our childcare and early years sector is in a very precarious situation given low wages, huge turnovers in staff and difficulty recruiting.
“Childcare workers provide an essential service for communities across the country, yet there has been no clarity on whether this government will take action to establish pay parity for early years workers and others in education.
“The Social Democrats have long advocated a public model of childcare, and Kilcock would be a great place to start that in Kildare.”
In response to a Parliamentary Question on his proposal Minister Norma Foley said that the Department is assessing project options and confirmed that while up to eight projects will be selected in 2026 “no final decisions had been made on the specific projects.”
“There will be a particular focus in the new State-led facilities on providing places for 1-3 year old children, with capacity for these children to continue in the service until they start school, because this is where the need is greatest,” the Minister revealed in a written reply to Deputy Farrelly.
“The aim of delivering additional supply of this type in suitable locations will include both rural areas and urban areas which are not well served at the moment.”