This article is from page 16 of the 2008-06-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
PARENTS of 47 children who will shortly be without childcare found little comfort in the words of the minister for finance this week.
In response to parliamentary ques- tions from Clare TD Pat Breen (FG), Minister Brian Lenihan merely con- firmed what distraught parents and staff were told in a note last week – the civil service creche in Ennis was to close with just two weeks’ notice.
The minister responsible for the running of the creche offered no so-
lution to the parents’ urgent childcare needs or to the plight of the 16 mem- ber staff. Deputy Breen was later ruled out of order when he attempted to raise the issue again.
‘The minister for finance must re- view his decision and permit the tem- porary operator to remain in place until October, when a permanent operator can then be appointed,” said Deputy Breen before he was told he could not continue.
The Board of the Civil Service Childcare Initiative, who operates the creche on behalf of the minister
pulled the plug on the creche last Fri- day week. The department “hope’”’ to have a new operator in place to open the creche by October.
The current temporary operator of the créche, Linda Hayes, has said she was happy to continue running it un- til then. Ms Hayes began in the créche on a temporary basis six months ago when the department failed to attract WM AUUMBNDNoMOooE-llee
“The board is in ongoing discus- sions with a potential operator with a view to taking over operation of the creche for a five year period with
effect from October 1, 2008,” said Minister Lenihan.
“As the current temporary ar- rangement comes to an end on June 30 2008, parents of children in the creche were individually advised that the Ennis créche would close from June 30 2008, and of the dis- cussions to appoint a permanent op- erator from October. Two of the sup- port team have also been in place at the créche to offer advice,’ he said.
Parents have said that the only sup- port they received was a photocopied list of créches in the area.