IWU highlights undermining of childcare facility
Independent Workers Union highlights undermining of childcare facility Kiss of Death for Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme… The Minister for Children has announced the replacement of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 with the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme. Independent Union Organiser, Tommy McKearney, states that this will effectively ensure that low paid workers will be unable to access childcare thus forcing them out of the workforce. According to Minister Brendan Smith this new scheme will support all ‘community based childcare services regardless of their location based on the actual number of children of disadvantaged parents using the services’……The previous scheme supported community childcare services in disadvantaged areas . The proposed changes are a result of a Value for Money Review of the European Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme – and are described by the Minister as a demonstration of the Government’s continued commitment to tackling social inclusion! Since when has a Value for Money Review addressed Social Inclusion in its deliberations? Minister Smith has also angered many parents by his calling on those with children in State funded community based childcare services to support their providers by applying for funding two weeks before the November 2 deadline. Parents and Childcare providers were not consulted in this Value for Money Review decision and are now expected to conform to the Ministers deadline. With this new Subvention Scheme only parents on Social Welfare or receiving Family Income Support will be grant-aided. Previously all staffing costs were covered by Government Grant making affordable childcare fees possible. The increased charges to cover staffing costs will mean that many Childcare facilities will be forced to close doors. The weekly subvention of €80 per child for Social Welfare and €30 for FI S recipients – for full time Childcare – will force many working parents back on to Social Welfare. The Union Press Statement continues that ‘the language used by the Office of the Minister for Children is an indication of this Government’s failure to address issues of equality for all children – not only do we have ‘disadvantaged areas’ we now also have ‘disadvantaged parents’. Perhaps Mr.Smith would explain how parents became ‘disadvantaged’? Would lack of Government investment in education, health and social services in what they describe as ‘disadvantaged areas’ be a factor? Perhaps a Value for Money review should take place on Government expenditure in ‘disadvantaged areas’. No doubt we would find that Government policies of privatisation and applying Value for Money criteria are designed to ensure that disadvantage and social exclusion will be perpetuated. Tommy McKearney IWU Nat. Ex.
Independent Workers Union highlights undermining of childcare facility Kiss of Death for Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme… The Minister for Children has announced the replacement of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006 with the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme. Independent Union Organiser, Tommy McKearney, states that this will effectively ensure that low paid workers will be unable to access childcare thus forcing them out of the workforce. According to Minister Brendan Smith this new scheme will support all ‘community based childcare services regardless of their location based on the actual number of children of disadvantaged parents using the services’……The previous scheme supported community childcare services in disadvantaged areas . The proposed changes are a result of a Value for Money Review of the European Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme – and are described by the Minister as a demonstration of the Government’s continued commitment to tackling social inclusion! Since when has a Value for Money Review addressed Social Inclusion in its deliberations? Minister Smith has also angered many parents by his calling on those with children in State funded community based childcare services to support their providers by applying for funding two weeks before the November 2 deadline. Parents and Childcare providers were not consulted in this Value for Money Review decision and are now expected to conform to the Ministers deadline. With this new Subvention Scheme only parents on Social Welfare or receiving Family Income Support will be grant-aided. Previously all staffing costs were covered by Government Grant making affordable childcare fees possible. The increased charges to cover staffing costs will mean that many Childcare facilities will be forced to close doors. The weekly subvention of €80 per child for Social Welfare and €30 for FI S recipients – for full time Childcare – will force many working parents back on to Social Welfare. The Union Press Statement continues that ‘the language used by the Office of the Minister for Children is an indication of this Government’s failure to address issues of equality for all children – not only do we have ‘disadvantaged areas’ we now also have ‘disadvantaged parents’. Perhaps Mr.Smith would explain how parents became ‘disadvantaged’? Would lack of Government investment in education, health and social services in what they describe as ‘disadvantaged areas’ be a factor? Perhaps a Value for Money review should take place on Government expenditure in ‘disadvantaged areas’. No doubt we would find that Government policies of privatisation and applying Value for Money criteria are designed to ensure that disadvantage and social exclusion will be perpetuated. Tommy McKearney IWU Nat. Ex.