Clare Childcare Providers To March On Dáíl Eireann As Sector Faces Crisis Point

A Clare creche owner claims the state can no longer stand idly by while a cornerstone of society faces imminent collapse. The Federation Of Early Childcare Providers is set to march on Dáil Éireann later today, while some members will elect to close their doors until Friday in a protest over shortfalls in funding. Private operators who opted into the governments CORE scheme have been locked in a fee freeze since 2017, while the weekly subsidy of €69 per child has remained static for the last five years, despite rising utility costs. Killaloe Childcare Provider Caroline Roche says the sector has never faced such a crisis.