Impact of COVID-19 lockdown forces crèche to close after 22 years

(Above) The staff from Little Rascals in Rochfortbridge: Donna Reid, Niamh Doran, Laura Reid, Shannon Coyne, Orla Morgan, Blaithin Gavin, Aoife Wallace, Lauren Buckley, Emma Fox and Christine Glennon.

There were emotional scenes at Little Rascals in Rochfortbridge earlier today when it closed its doors for the last time after 22 years.

Some of the 108 children it cared for before COVID-19 and their parents came to say goodbye and thank you to owner Orla Morgan and her staff.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Orla announced that the business started by her mother and whose premises was built by her father would not be reopening.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner earlier, Orla said that the loss of income during lockdown, plus ever increasing regulation and a lack of adequate support from the state to reopen led her to make the difficult decision to close her business.

The longest running and largest childcare facility in Rochfortbridge, Little Rascals cared for children aged from six months to 12 years.

Tributes have poured in on social media for Orla and her staff since she made the announcement.

See Tueday's Westmeath Examiner for a full interview with Orla.