Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise a particular case which illustrates the horrendous situation facing parents looking for childcare in this country and how unstable and insecure it can be. More than 130 families lost their crèche places last Friday. It is an incredible situation where a particular crèche, Krafty Kids, was evicted from St. Mary's GAA club in Saggart. On 6 October one of the crèche owners received a message from auctioneer and vice chairman of the club's committee, Ray Cooke, to inform them that their property in the upstairs rooms, including children's playthings, was being removed, their access to the upstairs rooms was being removed and they had to be completely off the premises by last Friday, 18 October. This then came to pass and they have been evicted. One parent of a child in the crèche said that Krafty Kids is a huge part of the local community, serving more than 130 families, and does a superb job of caring for the little ones. This person said that St. Mary's GAA club, by failing to engage with Krafty Kids and forcing it out, has put an amazing group of ladies out of work and has left hard-working parents with no childcare and the children without their community of friends to play with.

In the long run-----

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