When I received a leaflet through my letterbox recently saying that the Taoi-seach Bertie Ahern would be officially opening the new childcare facility located just a few doors down the road from my home in Drogheda, I couldn’t hide my excitement. It’s not everyday that you get the man in the most powerful position in the land rubbing shoulders with locals, and I made sure to attend the event.
The next morning, I wasn’t at my desk for five minutes before someone who works at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin phoned a colleague of mine to say that the wife of Nicky Byrne from Westlife had just given birth to twins. Gangs of journalists and paparazzi were also reported snooping around the hospital to catch the first glimpse of the newly born tots, named Rocco and Jay. It was then that it dawned on me that the new mother, Georgina, is also the daughter of the Taoiseach, making the day’s events a double celebration.
Grangerath, where I live, is a newly built residential area just minutes from Drogheda’s rail station and town centre, and the quality of the purpose-built childcare facilities here reflect the community they serve.
The Taoiseach was all smiles when he arrived and was welcomed by the mayor and the local TD amid screams from children of all ages who came to see the proud new grandfather.
In his short speech, Ahern thanked the Blanchardstown-based company that built the facilities for making them available to the Grangerath residents, a scheme which will be followed by the inauguration of a shopping centre to be completed early next year in this RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) area, one of the 46 most disadvantaged urban areas and provincial towns in the country targeted by the Government under the National Development Plan. After the speech, the delighted Taoiseach took a tour of the facility, posed for photos and joked with the children who followed him everywhere he went.
Childcare is an area that has not traditionally been taken seriously, especially when the economy was not looking so good. But looking after children is not as easy as many people tend to think – it needs the contribution of the whole family, the extended family as well as the Government. Parents have come to realise the importance of investing in their children from very early in their lives, but there are many hindrances along the way, and coping can be almost impossible for some.
While various departments such as Fas, the HSE and schools do what they can to help parents avail of education, training and employment, the biggest roadblock is the cost of childcare.
Unconfirmed reports show that more than 50 per cent of pre-school children are looked after by their relatives – aunts, cousins or grandmothers – and that this affects heavily their own livelihoods.
And working parents with no relatives, who have no choice other than to send their children to crèches, find the sheer expense affects any future plans for their families.
Yet not everything is doom and groom, as there is a glimmer of hope – but this will depend on intensive strategic planning and structured reviews to make sure the cost of childcare becomes affordable to every parent in the country. The new National Childcare Investment Prog-ramme 2006–2010 proposes make it easier for parents to avail of the services of childminders and childcare providers, as money for grants have been made available to improve the sector.
Both private sector and community groups providing childcare can apply for grants of up to 100,000 euro and 1m euro respectively; this should lead to some disadvantaged communities such as Travellers’ groups accessing almost free childcare facilities.
As a result of these promises, I have no doubt that childcare will be a big theme in this month’s general elections.
Burundi-born political writer and analyst Alain Nzeyimana moved to Dublin last year from London, where he studied and lived for the past ten years. He holds a BA Hons in Politics and International Studies from Middlesex, and has worked for prestigious organisations in London such as the House of Commons and Amnesty International
Grangerath, where I live, is a newly built residential area just minutes from Drogheda’s rail station and town centre, and the quality of the purpose-built childcare facilities here reflect the community they serve.
The Taoiseach was all smiles when he arrived and was welcomed by the mayor and the local TD amid screams from children of all ages who came to see the proud new grandfather.
In his short speech, Ahern thanked the Blanchardstown-based company that built the facilities for making them available to the Grangerath residents, a scheme which will be followed by the inauguration of a shopping centre to be completed early next year in this RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) area, one of the 46 most disadvantaged urban areas and provincial towns in the country targeted by the Government under the National Development Plan. After the speech, the delighted Taoiseach took a tour of the facility, posed for photos and joked with the children who followed him everywhere he went.
Childcare is an area that has not traditionally been taken seriously, especially when the economy was not looking so good. But looking after children is not as easy as many people tend to think – it needs the contribution of the whole family, the extended family as well as the Government. Parents have come to realise the importance of investing in their children from very early in their lives, but there are many hindrances along the way, and coping can be almost impossible for some.
While various departments such as Fas, the HSE and schools do what they can to help parents avail of education, training and employment, the biggest roadblock is the cost of childcare.
Unconfirmed reports show that more than 50 per cent of pre-school children are looked after by their relatives – aunts, cousins or grandmothers – and that this affects heavily their own livelihoods.
And working parents with no relatives, who have no choice other than to send their children to crèches, find the sheer expense affects any future plans for their families.
Yet not everything is doom and groom, as there is a glimmer of hope – but this will depend on intensive strategic planning and structured reviews to make sure the cost of childcare becomes affordable to every parent in the country. The new National Childcare Investment Prog-ramme 2006–2010 proposes make it easier for parents to avail of the services of childminders and childcare providers, as money for grants have been made available to improve the sector.
Both private sector and community groups providing childcare can apply for grants of up to 100,000 euro and 1m euro respectively; this should lead to some disadvantaged communities such as Travellers’ groups accessing almost free childcare facilities.
As a result of these promises, I have no doubt that childcare will be a big theme in this month’s general elections.
Burundi-born political writer and analyst Alain Nzeyimana moved to Dublin last year from London, where he studied and lived for the past ten years. He holds a BA Hons in Politics and International Studies from Middlesex, and has worked for prestigious organisations in London such as the House of Commons and Amnesty International
