Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's indication that there will be a meeting of the funders tomorrow. The issue is urgent, and it is significant that a meeting is taking place tomorrow. I welcome the Minister's commitment to the effect that after the meeting an early meeting will be held with the Jigsaw Childcare Service. I emphasise to the Minister the urgency of the provision of short-term funding for the centre. Those responsible in the centre should be given an indication that there will be breathing space of one month or whatever while the talks are taking place. The representatives of the centre have explained to me that as a company under law - the Minister is familiar with company law - once those responsible are aware that the centre is incurring debts, such as staff costs and other costs, that it will be unable to pay, there is a risk that they will be found to be trading recklessly.

The directors of the centre have been advised that unless they are given a clear indication that they will have short-term funding to pay wages in one, two or three weeks' time they will have to give people statutory notice and the various entitlements that employees have under law. That is why I emphasise the need for an indication as soon as the meetings take place with the funders. I appreciate that it could take some weeks to reach a longer-term agreement about how the service will be funded in future. Anyway, there is a need for those responsible in the centre to be informed straight away that at the least they can keep the doors open for the coming month and that there is some breathing space while all of this is worked out.

The Minister referred to the fact that the former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, had advised that perhaps there could be some solution in examining the overall position of early years services in the area. However, the representatives from the Jigsaw centre have informed me that it is the only service for those under three in the area. There are other services that cater for children of immediate preschool age, but this is an area with significant socioeconomic disadvantage and, therefore, the earlier children from those homes can get access to high-quality childhood education and care, the better. That should be considered as well.

I appreciate the Minister's attendance this evening. I realise it has been one of his first duties in the post. Furthermore, I appreciate that the Minister has called the groups together in order that we can get all the different agencies around the table and work out a solution. It would be a disgrace if a service such as this were allowed to close. I assure the Minister that those involved in the centre are prepared to do everything they can to work with the funders and provide a solution.