Children's Minister 'working to secure funds' to reopen Cork City creche

“It doesn’t naturally match the scenario that Northside Community Enterprise finds itself in taking over Before 5,” he said.

The revelation comes ahead of a crunch meeting on Friday which could decide the future of the Before 5 facility in Churchfield which was catering for just over 90 children when it ceased trading last August.

Within months, Northside Community Enterprises (NCE) came forward with a proposal to take over the facility, preparing a detailed report on how it proposed to use the building to provide a range of services to adults, children, and families, including:

• providing full day care provision for under threes, and afterschool care five days a week;
• extending its opening hours to create 53 full day care places, with seven additional weeks of childcare provided;
• using the facility as a hub for the Brothers of Charity, providing day services and therapeutic services to up to 15 adults with intellectual disabilities;
• and providing inclusive adult education classes through a partnership with the ETB.

However, NCE says major works are required to ensure the building complies with various fire and health and safety requirements, and that funding of some €366,000 is required. NCE is due to meet with representatives of Pobal, the State body which administers funding for the Department of Children, on Friday.

Solidarity TD for Cork North Central, Mick Barry, said Mr O'Gorman has had NCE’s report outlining the need for funding sitting on his desk for three months.

“Up to 100 families had their childcare snatched away from them when Before 5 closed suddenly last August and the failure to reopen at the site has left an aching gap here on the northside,” he said.

“If a detailed commitment to fund a reopening can't be made today then a clear commitment that real progress will be made by the end of the week has to happen.” 

Mr O’Gorman met NCE representatives during his visit to Cork on Monday and revealed the funding issue. “But that’s not to say that we can't find a solution to it," he said.

“I am working within my department to see if there is a funding stream to meet those particular needs. We are working closely to see what solution we can find.

“I don’t have absolute clarity today, but I am aware of the importance of Before 5 and a lot of work is taking place in the background to see if we can find a solution.” 

He also defended his record in childcare amid claims from independent creche operators that the sector is in crisis over the core funding model, with 30 creches announcing closures over the last two weeks alone.

Mr O’Gorman said last year actually saw one of the lowest levels of closures in the last five years with several new services opening. But he said the government cut an average of 25% off childcare fees in January with another 25% cut due in September.

“We have for the first time ever a pay agreement for childcare professionals that was signed in September 2022, with 73% of them seeing a pay increase, and there will be another pay agreement coming from that sector in the next couple of weeks that will see a 5% increase for childcare workers,” he said.

He said Core Funding has increased from €259m in the first year of the model to €331m next year.

“That’s why investment in childcare has grown from €638m when I started to €1.1bn next year. That is one of the sharpest rises in State investment in any sector you’ll see,” he said.

“Absolutely there are challenges, and capacity is a key challenge now and that’s something we are working on in terms of bringing forward capital works to support the expansion of existing childcare facilities and to support the development of new childcare facility.”