BY JEROME HUGHES
FORTY per-cent of childcare facilities across County Donegal may have to cease operating due dangerous buildings, creating an unprecedented crisis, those working in the vital sector are claiming.
Childcare managers are planning to highlight their concerns through protests as people cast their votes in the local and European elections on Friday of next week.
“Letterkenny Community Childcare’s building was tested for defective blocks in 2019 and the results concluded that the building has a very high percentage of Mica,” said the facility’s manager, Geraldine Burke.
“The service urgently needs to relocate. Remedial repairs have been carried out. However, they are now cracking and the lifespan of the building is very limited,” she added.
Letterkenny Community Childcare, located in Ballyraine, is the only ‘full day’ childcare provider in Letterkenny. 151 children currently attend.
“We’re in our fifth year of requesting support to relocate. Government departments and agencies are aware of us. To date, we have received no help from the State to rebuild our service,” said Ms Burke.
It’s suggested there are 22 other childcare services across Donegal that face uncertainty due to the defective concrete crisis – that’s more than 40% of all such services.
Letterkenny childcare manager Geraldine Burke asks, “If these facilities have to close in the next few years, what do parents/ guardians do when they are trying to get to their places of work?”
“How do companies recruit new staff if there is no childcare availability? Currently, all such services in Donegal have long waiting lists and this will worsen with closures due to defective blockwork.”
As people cast their votes at the location, service managers from Letterkenny, Raphoe and Ardara will hold a protest on Friday of next week at the County Council office in Letterkenny from Midday to 2pm. Parents and guardians will also take part.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has told Highland Radio, “Let’s see if we can find a way to help these childcare facilities. I’ll personally engage with the Dept. of Children and Dept. of Housing on behalf of that group.”
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