Kelly highlights crisis for Nenagh Childcare Centre
Tipp TD seeks to secure extra funding
Nenagh Childcare Centre is struggling with a funding crisis, threatening its closure by the year's end if extra funding is not made available by the State.
The crisis has been highlighted this week by Labour Party TD Alan Kelly, who said closing the facility would be devastating for the families of the 107 children in its care and its 23 employees.
The centre receives funding from Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth through Pobal. The balance is paid by the parents.
The fees charged by the centre are fixed due to core funding regulations and it is not permitted to raise them under State rules.
Deputy Kelly told The Guardian that he had been in talks with the Chairperson of the centre, Mike McNulty, in the hope of finding a solution.
“The chairperson of the centre informed me that they haven’t raised their fees in the 20 years that they have been open. They estimate that their fees are at least €20 per head less than any other service around,” Deputy Kelly revealed.
He said the centre is also not allowed to charge optional extras to fund food, equipment and materials.
The Labour Party TD said the facility also receives funding from the Department of Social Protection through their school meals allowance, which partially contributes towards the meals of only 45 children, despite the fact that enrolment currently amounts to a total of 107 children.
“The centre provides four meals per day as per Tusla policy. These are healthy and nutritious meals,” said Deputy Kelly, highlighting just how difficult the continued operation of the facility is becoming without extra funding.
SALARY OUTLAY
He added: “They have a core staff of 23 and their funding simply does not currently match their salary outlay. Yet they are required to have this number of staff to ensure child ratios as per Tusla requirements.”
Deputy Kelly said Mr McNulty had informed him that this is a real crisis for the centre. He said he had assured Mr McNulty that he would do everything he could to secure additional funding to ensure the centre continues to operate.
Deputy Kelly last week raised the crisis at a national level, at a meeting on Thursday with officials from the Department of Children during a sitting of Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee.
“The Assistant Secretary General of the department, Anne Marie Brooks, agreed to meet with the centre and myself in the coming weeks,” said Deputy Kelly.
He revealed that a letter will be sent to Ms Brooks in the coming days to arrange the meeting.
“I’m hopeful that such a meeting will get to the bottom of this funding issue so that Nenagh Childcare Centre will continue to grow,” Deputy Kelly concluded.