Co Kildare sees 8 creches close within months spurring 'childcare crisis'

Sinn Féin TD Réada Cronin says Co Kildare parents are facing into 'childcare chaos' with eight childcare facilities in the county closing their doors within six months, this year, says a local TD.

 Sinn Féin TD Réada Cronin says,  'unless the Government invests urgently and strategically in the childcare sector, working parents and communities are facing a deep and immediate crisis, in how and where our children are cared for. ' 

Today 6 August she accused the government of “playing fast and loose” with childcare in Co Kildare and nationally, saying Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens are in complete denial about the chaos facing working parents due to the closures.  

Deputy Cronin said:“Eight closures in Kildare alone. Eight. That’s a body-blow to parents planning their childcare.”    

On the childcare facilities themselves, she said the majority affected were small, local businesses into which the owners had put their heart, soul and every penny.

She said:“These are small businesses. The heartbeat of the community. The owners are sick with worry. They have put their all into them financially, in training and in every other way, to give peace of mind to parents and high-quality childcare to the community. There is no more important work than looking after our children and it is beyond appalling that these facilities have closed as they have. It leaves parents in crisis now as they scramble for places for their children in the Autumn coming up.”

She said:“Sinn Féin has been warning the Government of how exposed parents and children are by its lack of urgent and strategic investment in the sector. Just last month in the Dáil we asked them to set up a Sustainability Fund for childcare here in Kildare and nationally, but they were so intent on hiring Special Advisers and paying their Super Juniors, they didn’t heed us. Now, it’s the parents and their children will pay the price.”

She said:“I am calling on the Government to act with all alacrity to set up an urgent Sustainability Fund for the childcare sector. We cannot be urging parents, mothers in particular, back into the workforce with one hand and withholding their childcare with the other.  It makes no sense.”