Childcare providers will hold a protest in Ennis today.
The protest, which is organised by the Federation of Early Childhood Providers, says the new core funding proposals are threatening to close hundreds of local services.
Around 500 of its members will close ECCE childcare services, meaning thousands of parents across the country will be without childcare.
Members of the sector from this county are understood to be preparing to gather at the Daniel O’ Connell monument later this morning.
Smaller independent providers, especially those catering specifically for the State-subsidised ECCE scheme (Early Childhood Care and Education) are most disadvantaged, according to Elaine Dunne, Chairperson of the FECP.
“It is ironic that a Government purporting to support local enterprise and SMEs cannot properly fund small businesses in the childcare sector. And these are the very ones running the State’s own childcare initiatives. ECCE is about early learning for pre-schoolers, and it facilitates parents contributing to the labour market.
“The current situation where the Minister is determined not to engage on a solution just flies in the face of industry and enterprise on so many levels”, Dunne says.
