Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

This subvention scheme is going to cause job losses in the majority of crèches and the closure of a large number of facilities, resulting in a similar move towards privatisation to that seen in the health sector. The dependency on the private sector will probably drive up child care costs because of the sudden monopoly the scheme will create. Private crèche operators have told me the scheme could benefit them by permitting them to charge any fee they see fit for children on their waiting lists for vacancies. Yesterday, one play group leader told me that if the local crèche closed, parents would be forced to travel more than nine miles to find alternative child care because the private facility in the area is already full. Another leader spoke about a crèche with only two staff which would close without funding. That community playgroup has been operating for the past 25 years but only five of its 19 children would qualify under the new proposals. The building was redecorated a few years ago and it would be a waste of money if it did not receive funding from somewhere else. Children are the real victims in this new scheme. A play group leader noted that children will lose out on the early childhood supports, such as speech therapy, which help to develop language, learning and social skills.

As an educator, I see the severe negative social effects this scheme will entail. It will split up communities, particularly those in rural areas. Only socially disadvantaged children will end up in the crèches, which is not good for children or the social mix. The Minister may not have thought through the social segregation that will result. Shame on her for that. Socially disadvantaged area schools already experience low retention and high drop-out rates and under-achievement by at least 20% of students. At least the former scheme facilitated a good start.

The new scheme will not benefit children from disadvantaged backgrounds. A disadvantaged background should not mean a disadvantaged future. It is shortsighted in the extreme to ignore the overall effects on people's lives across the socio-economic spectrum. I urge the Minister to redraft the scheme, bearing in mind its implications for young families and the nation's most precious resource, children.