A Donegal County Councillor says the lack of childcare in the county must be urgently highlighted to the government.
Sinn Féin Councillor Dakota Nic Mheanman says parents all over the county cannot find any childcare places at present, and it’s having a direct impact on their access to work and education.
“Access to affordable childcare changes everything for someone,” Cllr Nic Mheanman. “It allows them to go to work, earn an income, go to college or whatever that may be.
“We need to show the government how much of a problem this is. They’ve said that it’s a priority for them, but I don’t see any priorities coming through.”
Cllr Nic Mheanman, speaking at the May plenary council meeting, pointed out that the government had promised to reduce childcare to €200 a month.
Cllr Nic Mheanman said the delay in the reduction was proof of “another fake promise”.
“It’s clear they never had the intention to lower this to €200 when they got re-elected, because if they did, they would have already carried out the review,” she said.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle stated that the lack of childcare facilities in Donegal is now “at crisis point”.
“In the world we live in today, both parents now have to work to make ends meet so childcare is a priority for them,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“We need to call on the government to look at the strategy they have and ask for capital investment
“In September time again there will be another cohort of children that will have to access childcare, and it’s not there.”
Cllr Nic Mheanman’s motion was passed, paving the way for Donegal County Council to call on the Government to take action and provide capital investment for childcare
facilities to create additional capacity as waiting lists grow in Donegal, as well as providing for childcare facilities with defective blocks.
