DONEAL County Council
has unanimously supported a motion backing community
childcare groups across the community.
The motion by Sinn Féin Councillor Marie Therese
Gallagher expresses serious concern about the
implications of the Government's Childcare
Subvention Scheme. Cllr. Gallagher pointed out that
if implemented, in its present form, the new scheme
would lead to the closure of many community
childcare facilities and naíonraí in Donegal.
"A large number of local community childcare
providers have contacted me and my colleagues on
this issue and I foresee huge problems with the new
scheme, resulting in the closure of many
facilities," said Cllr. Gallagher.
The new scheme requires community childcare
operators to work a tiered fee system according to
the income of service users. Services will receive
subventions to enable reduced fees to be charged to
disadvantaged parents in receipt of social welfare
payments.
"Many of the families using community childcare
facilities are on low incomes but do not receive
social welfare payments - now to be a requirement to
qualify for the new subvention scheme.
"Without a sufficient number of welfare recipients
on their books, community childcare groups will be
forced to close altogether or raise the fees for
those not qualifying for the subvention," added
Cllr. Gallagher.
"Thus low-income families and many more in already
stretched circumstances could be actually forced to
pay more. This makes nonsense of the claim that the
new scheme will be better for the disadvantaged." |
