‘CHILDCARE NEEDS MORE FUNDS’

CASTLEMAINE Community Childcare Centre, Nai Ionad Na Cille is closing their doors for a day next month to join a national day of protest to fight for more funding for the childcare sector.

Manager, Georgina Diver said that the centre, which provides childcare for more than 120 children in the Mid Kerry area, has been left with no choice but to come out and protest at the worsening crisis in the childcare sector.

18 staff at the childcare centre, will take to the picket line at the centre in Castlemaine on February 5 instead of travelling to Dublin.

“The sustainability of the centre is at risk here. The finances we get to run the service is not enough,” explained Ms Diver.

The low wages in the sector are one of the key issues on the agenda.

“Currently centres are under pressure to meet minimum wages but the funds given are not enough to meet the minimum wage and with this set to increase next month to €10.10 this will put centres under more pressure.”

“There is no holiday pay and often staff are on jobseekers allowance during the summer months. The sector wants highly qualified staff with degrees but the Government funds to pay wages do not reflect this,” added Ms Diver. This has led to staff leaving childcare as they are not even been paid the minimum wage.

This coupled with rising insurance costs in the sector are putting childcare services under financial pressure. Insurance costs for the Castlemaine Centre increased by more than 100% this year from€1,714 to €3,616.

While the Government came on board to address this issue and provided additional funding to childcare centres, the funding shortfall remains an issue and is putting childcare centres in danger.

Administration costs are also not being met under Government funding which is making it difficult for childcare centres to operate and there are also increasing costs to meet both Tulsa and Pobal standards when it comes to equipment and building regulations with no funding provided.

“We can’t put up our prices any more to meet the costs. Parents in Ireland are already paying the highest fees in Europe,” said Ms Diver.

Staff at the centre will take to the picket line to support the national protest being organised by The Early Years Alliance. Parents are also supporting the staff and have been invited to join the picket line to address the crisis and call for better funding for this vital sector.