Childcare crisis hits Castlepollard with 65 children left without places
The sudden closure of a private childcare centre in Castlepollard has left 65 children without a place for September, prompting calls from councillors for urgent state intervention and a shift toward community-led solutions.
Speaking at last week’s meeting of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Alfie Devine said parents had only just received word that the crèche would shut its doors.
“I got 50 phone calls over the last couple of days about this,” he said, “and priority needs to be put on the community around centres sooner rather than later.”
The closure is part of a wider pattern, with childcare providers around the country citing financial and regulatory pressures. In Kinnegad, another facility closed in recent weeks, leaving parents scrambling to find alternatives.
“We are at capacity,” said Cllr Denis Leonard. “We do not have any spare places in adjoining child care centres. It's a childcare emergency, let’s call it what it is.”
Cllr Leonard called for a letter to be sent back to Minister for Education Norma Foley urging that Westmeath be used as a model for immediate investment in community-led childcare. “This has to be affordable, accessible, and local,” he said.
Cllr Michael Dollard, chair of a childcare facility in Mullingar, said one local service has 104 children and a waiting list of over 100 more. He supported calls to “frontload” childcare provision as part of the planning process for new housing estates.
Chief Executive Pat Gallagher said the planning system often requires crèches in new developments, but the resulting units are often too small to be viable.
“We need a revision of those planning guidelines and to build childcare facilities that are commercially viable and serve a wider area than just one estate,” he said.
Councillors agreed that a further letter should be issued to the Department, highlighting the specific cases in Castlepollard and Kinnegad and asking for short-term solutions alongside long-term reform.