'There is a childcare crisis in County Kildare'

There is a childcare crisis affecting young families across County Kildare.

Local politicians are complaining of  a shortage of facilities and say that some premises are poorly located.

Cllr Bill Clear told a Kildare County Council meeting that in some instances creches have not been provided by developers given permission to build houses and apartments or are not delivered on time.

Others,  he said, are located in the wrong place in these developments and in places where there are greater traffic volumes.

“They're often buried  there,” he said, adding that in some instances the developers have grief to sell the creches once built.

Labour politician Angela Feeney said there is a crisis in the Maynooth area.

“This is a huge pressure for women, some of whom cannot work because they cannot access childcare,” Cllr Feeney added.

A move by Cllr Suzanne Doyle to get KCC involved in the solution ran aground.

Cllr Doyle wanted the to provide a childcare facility “into an appropriate capital project to demonstrate potential best practice in delivery of childcare facilities.”

She said this affordable childcare is a “critical piece of social infrastructure in supporting

young families and employment participation.”

Cllr Doyle also said planning applications for large employment opportunities should  include provision of childcare facilities in appropriate locations, maybe offsite, and similarly for all planning applications for primary schools.

However KCC says that it can do no more than raise the issue with the Department of Education.

This is because the delivery of a childcare facility is not included in spending plans.

And while the proposal ”has merit” the suggestion is outside KCC’s  remit and would need support and a coordinated approach from central government and a number of government departments - backed up by money.

Also, there are no provisions in legislation or in national/regional policy which require childcare facilities be provided with applications for schools or commercial developments. 

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