2024 before Churchfield creche will re-open
The Before 5 Family Centre in Churchfield which has come under new management will remain closed until 2024.
The preschool, which has been in business for 5 decades, announced its sudden closure recently when it notified its 14 employees and parents that it would be shutting down immediately. The facility has spaces for up to 100 children and has been in business for five decades.
It leaves many families without childcare in the coming months, along with staff who remain uncertain whether they will retain their jobs.
In a statement given to the Cork Independent, Northside Community Enterprises (NCE) confirmed that the building will be surveyed to assess any work that will be required for the premises.
“We have engaged a project management company and we are in the process of appointing consultants to carry out a condition survey of the building to identify any upgrade works needed to allow the building to open.
“This is necessary to address maintenance items and to improve certain aspects of fire safety, so that we can fully meet all compliance obligations under building regulations, fire safety regulations and Tusla regulations,” the statement read.
NCE said that it will be next month before the survey will conclude and next year before the facility will be in a position to re-open.
“It is expected that the report on the condition survey will be completed in October 2023. It is envisaged at this stage that the works will be extensive, but we will know more once the condition survey report is finished. It will be at least 2024 before the service will be in a position to open.”
The statement says that the provider is “working hard to get the service open as quickly as possible”.
“We understand that some families are looking for childcare immediately and we would ask that you would reach out to Cork City Childcare who will do their upmost to support you to find alternative childcare,” the statement said.
A recruitment process will take place in the future, however, the dates have not been finalised and it will be 2024 before it gets underway, leaving former staff without jobs.
In the first day back after the summer recess, Socialist Party and Solidarity TD Mick Barry brought up the matter in the Dáil saying that it's not good enough that more than 100 families are now being told that they will have to wait until next year before crèche and preschooling facilities will be reopened.
Deputy Barry said: “If preschools were guaranteed by the State, situations like this simply would not arise. It is not acceptable that more than 100 families on the northside of Cork city are being told that their children are going to have to miss out on an entire school term - at the very least.”