Naíonra subsidies cut
August 6, 2013
At the end of June, the Board of Foras na Gaeilge made a decision to discontinue the subsidy scheme for naíonraí which has been administered by Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta (FNT) since 1999.
In 2012, € 876,900 was provided to FNT to pay to individual naíonraí as part of the scheme, and in the first six months of this year €545,000 was awarded to FNT under the scheme but Foras na Gaeilge have now decided that no funding will be made available for the period July – December 2013. “A disastrous blow to the preschool sector” is how Clíona Frost, CEO of Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta has described the decision and says 31 positions are in jeopardy, and up to eight Naíonraí could potentially close as a direct result of the decision. According to FNT no advance notice was given to either FNT or Na Naíonraí Gaelacha, and they did not understand this item was even up for review by the Board, or that such an important decision was to be made. FNT claim it was not until they received their funding allocation for the period July – December 2013 at the end of June that the decision became apparent.
In a statement provided to Gaelport.com from Foras na Gaeilge it is stated that the scheme was under review for a number of years and officers of Foras na Gaeilge informed FNT at a meeting on 1 March 2013 that the item was being scrutinised and that there was a chance that the subsidy would not be paid in the July-December allocation of funding. Foras na Gaeilge state clearly that the decision was not made without advance warning and discussion. Foras na Gaeilge contend “double funding” was being provided as payments were also being received by naíonraí under the Government’s Early Childhood Care and Education scheme. Gaelport.com spoke to Rebecca Uí Bhruachail of Naíonra Thír na nÓg in Malahide, Co. Dublin. This naíonra provides services to ten children, and Ní Bhruachail explains that funding received under this scheme was used to pay for stationery, teaching aids, books, toys, and Irish lessons for staff. In total, this naíonra received €1,800 annually under the scheme.
Rebecca said: “When the naíonra closed at the start of the summer, we had two employees, but with these latest cuts, I will not be able to employ a second person. Under the Childcare Act 1996 two adults must always be in charge of the children, so therefore my choices are to find somebody who is willing to do this work voluntarily, or close the naíonra. It is as simple as that”. Catherine Allen is the Director of Naíonra na gCéimeanna Beaga in Westport, which caters for 22 children. This cut will mean a reduction €4,000 per year for the naíonra, and Catherine contends this will have a detrimental effect on the standard of the service. Catherine stated: “This subsidy used to allay some of the normal running costs of the naíonra; books, jigsaws, resources and classes for the staff. Our naíonra was only founded two years ago, and I took out a loan to found it. That loan has not yet been repaid. Every penny is important as I aim to provide the highest standard possible. Without this subsidy, one part-time position will go in September. Under the ECCE scheme, I cannot raise the fees for parents which leaves me snookered. I intend to continue for the next year, but I don’t know what I will do in the future. It is quite possible that I will have to close the naíonra”.
In the statement from Foras na Gaeilge it is stated that Foras na Gaeilge do not believe the subsidy to be critical to the sustainability of any naíonraí.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
