Carlow creche owner says State contracts are unfair

A local creche owners says new State contracts for the childcare sector are unfair.

Under the new terms, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has reserved the right to cut funding to any creche that is forced to close due to a Covid outbreak.

Alison Farrell runs the ‘Play and Learn Preschool and Afterschool’ in Carlow.

She says independent solicitors are urging childcare providers not to sign the new contracts:

“A legal team has looked at this and said that these type of contracts are unheard of. No contract should be this one-sided. But without signing these, we’re left in a situation where the families will have to pay.for preschool. In a lot of situations, parents just can’t afford that.”