Government must act to limit withdrawals from Childcare Core Funding

Green Party Spokesperson for Children and Equality, Councillor Lourda Scott, has expressed serious concern about the impact on families as childcare providers begin to withdraw from the Government’s Core Funding scheme.

Cllr Scott says:

"The news that several centres, including some in Shankill and Dundrum, are pulling out of Core Funding is deeply troubling. Parents are now facing sudden and unaffordable fee increases. Families are already under pressure with the rising cost of living. It’s a serious blow for parents who are now left scrambling for solutions. This risks the collapse of services in communities where childcare options are already limited, particularly in rural and commuter-belt areas.”

She said the Core Funding scheme has been a critical step in moving towards a public childcare system in Ireland:

“Core Funding has started the shift to a publicly funded model. For the first time, public money is going directly into childcare services to make them more affordable, improve staff wages, and bring stability to the sector. The Government must not do back on these commitments now. It must build on this progress and commit to long-term public childcare. Without that, we return to a system where fees keep rising and staff leave. ”

Cllr Scott stressed that withdrawing from Core Funding is not a decision providers take lightly:

“When services say they can’t survive under the current model, the Government must listen. In many areas, losing even one service can leave families with no childcare at all. The Government must immediately step in and increase investment to keep providers in the scheme and keep services open. Childcare is not a luxury. It is a public good, just like education and healthcare.”

She added:

“The stress on parents to find and pay for childcare has been going on for decades. In many areasservices are already hard to come by. Any further losses could leave families with no options. The Government must act now to protect existing services, expand provision, and make sure parents aren’t pushed out of the workforce because of a lack of childcare. There is no time to delay. Core Funding is a strong start, but it must be properly supported to work on the ground and not just on paper.”