New childcare provider data offers a clear route to resolve lingering capacity crisis-Michael Collins

Government has been handed a golden opportunity to finally get to grips with the waiting list dilemma that has confounded early childhood providers and parents for the last number of years, according to Leader of Independent Ireland Michael Collins.

The Cork South-West TD was speaking following the release of definitive new survey data by the country’s largest organisation representing independent early years operators, the Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP).

The FECP survey found that of the 543 early years businesses it engaged with a staggering 234 providers (43%) have no waiting list whatsoever while 229 providers (42%) are currently not at regulation-allowed capacity. The FECP says that this leaves 314 providers (57%) operating at full capacity:

“While there is no doubt that tens of thousands of parents are genuinely struggling to access early childhood services, this new data definitively reveals the true nature of the crisis is one of geographical disparity, allied of course to the severe underfunding and staff shortages that are rampant across the sector irrespective of the operator’s location.”

“The fact that we have hundreds of early childhood providers with no waiting lists in towns right across the country now means that we can finally place a focus on delivering and articulating a suite of solutions that can enable these specific providers to become the option of choice for parents struggling with access difficulties.” Collins said.

Speaking on the publication of the data, Chairperson of the FECP, Elaine Dunne, said:

“Pobal must highlight the real problem. The greatest pressure is in the under-18 months category, where the ratio is one carer to three children. The difficulty is not with capacity under the ECCE scheme or in the older age groups – it lies here.  The Minister must be honest about where the real issue is.”

Deputy Collins concluded:

“Ultimately what the FECP and indeed my own party is saying is that now we have identified the true nature of the challenges that confront us, we can no longer continue to engage in promoting the essentially misleading fact that there is no capacity within the sector. There is ample capacity, but parents are often unable to access these services and providers are under increasing pressure to close them. It is a vicious circle, but that circle can be closed if we are imaginative and honest enough in our approach."

“I will be raising this matter as soon as the Dail reconvenes and I will continue to offer my party’s support to its campaign for commonsense solutions, targeted staff measures and increased financial supports.”