Kildare parents 'can't go back to work because there are no creche places'

Community creches need to be developed in Kildare.

Naas mayor Seamie Moore said Kildare County Council  should consider “the purchase and construction of a 150 places creches that was zoned in the Kildare County Development Plan.

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Cllr Moore said the site was zoned in Jigginstown, Naas, and KCC could act as a landlord, appointing a registered childcare group to manage or provide an early years creche on the site - or invite the Land Development Agency to do it.

At a Naas Municipal District meeting, Cllr Bill Clear said there is a huge demand for creche places and because of this “mothers and fathers cannot go back to work.

“A community creche is what we need,” he said, adding that there is just one in Kildare (Maynooth) while County Wexford has seven.

According to KCC, providing such a facility is not within its remit although it  provides zoning via the planning process .

KCC said it’s aware of recent national announcements regarding the provision of State-led childcare, “however the operational detail is not available.”