Councillor Louise Minihan
Published: 1 March, 2008
Is Mise comhairleor Louise Minihan, Baile Fhormaid, Baile Átha Cliath.
Tá mé ag labhairt í Bhfábhair ruin Cead Seachtó Naoi.
The introduction by Fianna Fail Minister for Children Brendan Smith, of this new funding scheme for childcare facilities will result in apartheid crèches.
It is a disgraceful decision by the Dublin Government, which targets those in low paid jobs and the original concept of community crèches. This new scheme will result in low paid workers being priced out of community crèches, and those who can afford to pay will move their children to private crèches, which will be cheaper.
Those on social welfare payments will be fully subsidised, while most others will have to pay the full cost of the service. This is a STEALTH TAX, as people are already paying for community crèches through the tax system.
Instead of interfering in the operating of crèches, Minister Smith should be over seeing the full role out of the state funded community Crèches.
Since October 2007 Sinn Féin have been calling on the Minister to suspend his backward move and to consult with the stakeholders on this issue, the community crèche operators and with the parents who will be affected.
If the minister doesn't listen, we will end up with an apartheid system with crèches for people on social welfare, crèches for families on low-middle incomes and crèches for the elite.
I condemn Minister Smith for introducing this ill thought out scheme, without any consultation with those involved in the sector.
Today I am calling on the Minister to suspend this scheme and I'm demanding that he and his staff get up from behind their desks and get out and engage and listen to the parents and those working in the community crèches, whom he and this government have so far ignored.
This initiative shows that the Dublin government act on there own interests without a thought for those who will be affected.
Clearly this government is not fit to run this state because it serves it's own interests instead of the peoples.
Support this Motion.
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