Three year delay for creche places forces Kildare parents to make choices

People are moving into new residential developments only to find that promised childcare places are not available.

Labour councillor Angela Feeney said it’s “simply unbelievable” that parents move into new accommodation where a crèche was promised as part of that housing development planning application” but it hasn’t been set up.

“The glossy brochure used to sell and market the homes include an on-site crèche.  Yet many of these crèches are rarely if ever delivered.”

She added: “Parents are on waiting lists for years.  It doesn’t make any sense,” added Cllr. Feeney.  

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In some instances residents are waiting three years for the crèche to be delivered.

“They are frustrated to see a crèche building lying there vacant and unused for the purpose for which it was built while they are on long waiting lists with local childcare providers.” 

In some cases, she said, this means people  are forced to make personal choices as to whether to return to work or not, to job share at a time when we need an enhanced workforce that includes women.  

“Families should not be financially burdened by paying huge mortgages and have one parent forced to remain at home.  In order to meet the needs of our growing population, we need to have these facilities in place.  I will continue to highlight this issue and to seek solutions by working with Kildare County Council and all stakeholders.  It’s simply not fair.” 

She said many existing facilities are full and parents are on long waiting lists and many providers want to expand their premises or have offered to manage the promised crèches in these housing developments but that rarely if ever happens. She welcomed the recently granted planning permission to Kinder Crescent in Kilcock to expand its premises, as it is much needed."

Cllr Feeney said the issue “continues to be an enormous stress to young families especially”.  

She added: “I feel very strongly about this because I have been a working parent of three children and if the childcare part of the puzzle is not fixed, then nothing else can happen”.  

She said it is “simply heartbreaking to meet parents in the new housing developments in our community crying out for this issue to be addressed.”  

Cllr Feeney recently conducted an online survey of parents to assess childcare needs and “it was shocking to hear the extent of the problem.”