Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Department monitors availability of early learning and childcare on an ongoing basis with a particular focus on responding to the unmet early learning and childcare needs of families. The most recent data on availability shows that, on the whole, supply for early learning and childcare is meeting demand, although there are pockets of undersupply in certain areas and for cohorts of children, particularly babies and toddlers. Cork city and county childcare committees are in a position to support children and families to identify services operating with vacant places. The childcare committees also engage proactively with services to explore possibilities for expansion, especially where there is unmet need. Both Pobal and Cork City Childcare continue to work on behalf of the Department to support parents to find suitable alternative quality early learning and childcare for their children following this closure.

I understand how upsetting it is for the families. Their children are used to a facility. The Deputy also mentioned the 14 staff who are present. I will follow up tomorrow regarding AIM and whether it is specific to the Before 5 Family Centre or whether it carries forward.

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