It’s feared this county’s economy will suffer if further childcare closures are seen.
It comes as the Federation of Early Childhood Providers has launched a new publication asking the Government to implement measures to protect the sector from the cost-of-living crisis.
In the past two weeks alone, 28 childcare providers have indicated their intention to close their doors.
This means over the last 14 months, approximately 150 nationwide providers nationwide have ceased operating.
The concerns of struggling providers have been captured in a new report entitled “United We Stand” from the Federation of Early Childhood Providers.
This examines the “dire” situation many members are finding themselves in and asks Government to boost the level of funding being given to the sector to insulate providers from inflationary pressures.
Noel Mulderrig is the manager of the Kidz Haven creche in Shannon and will begin the process of closing his business next month.
He says the greatest problem facing providers is attracting staff due to the high burnout rate coupled with more attractive offers elsewhere.
It’s estimated 4,855 children avail of childcare settings in Clare and in 2023, 3,807 of these benefitted from the National Childcare Scheme which aims to ease the financial burden of childcare on parents and guardians.
This means that under the scheme, €7.5 million was invested in Clare alone last year.
With elections around the corner, Chairperson of the Federation of Early Childhood providers Elaine Dunne insists improving the level of support given to providers must be a political priority.
You can listen to the full interview here:
