The Sunday Independent Article

Earlier this month the Sunday Independent published an article by John Drennan and Daniel McConnell entitled “In firing line for savage cuts — young, old and vulnerable“.

This article claimed that, along with numerous other schemes, the Early Childhood Care and Education scheme (ECCE) and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) were both under consideration to be abolished by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Understandably this statement was a great cause for alarm among many ECCE service providers, who then contacted us with their concerns.

Early Childhood Ireland’s Response

We wish to assure all members that Early Childhood Ireland will continue to stress the vital importance of the ECCE scheme to the sector, which currently caters for 66,000 young children daily, as part of this free preschool scheme. 

We are arranging to meet with Minister Howlin in order to highlight the following key points:

• The requirement for early childhood care and education is set to rise with an increased birth rate over the coming decade and parents in tightened economic circumstances may not be able to prioritise early education

• Significant investment has already been made in the sector under the EOCP 2000-2006 (€449m) and NCIP 2006-2010 funding (€463m) – this we must build on

• Quality early childhood care and education is a societal matter and ‘The payoffs of early childhood programs can be especially high’ (Ben Bernanke, 2011 – Head of US Federal Reserve).  Early childhood care and education matters to children and communities, but has greater impact on those in disadvantaged situations

• Early intervention is effective ‘it’s kind of penny-wise and pound-foolish to postpone the investment until children are in school’ (Prof. James Heckman, Nobel Laureate)

• The members of Early Childhood Ireland generate €320 million in salaries with a further €105 million being spent in the wider economy. It is estimated that in 2011 they sustained a shortfall in the region of €13 million.  The Government investment in these services must be maintained.

The Early Childhood Ireland CEO, Irene Gunning, has also sent the following letter to the editor of the Sunday Independent, in response to this article:-

Sir

I refer to your front page article on January 8th that, according to a report by the Central Expenditure and Evaluation Unit in Minister Howlin’s department, the free preschool scheme and the National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) should be abolished. Is this more doomsday kite flying that puts already stressed preschool and daycare managers and the families they support nationwide into a tail spin? Hopefully, the real decision makers won’t be swayed by such claptrap and this is one kite that we’ve got to shoot down fast.

What’s more, as the membership organisation representing the childcare sector in Ireland, we certainly didn’t get any inkling of this at our latest meeting with the Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald on 21st December. On the contrary Minister Fitzgerald fully understands the benefits of these schemes and is absolutely committed to continued investment in early childhood care and education.

That same article last Sunday also quoted Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore regarding the Croke Park deal who said, “It’s important when the government concludes an agreement with a sector of society, in this case with the trade unions representing the public sector, that it works to honour that agreement and is seen to honour it.”

Well that code of honour must also be afforded to the early childhood care and education sector and there is absolutely no economic justification to abolish these schemes.

Irene Gunning
CEO
Early Childhood Ireland
Unit 4 Broomhill Business Complex,
Broomhill Road,
Tallaght
Dublin 24