Calls to rerate early education facilities

Cavan County Council has been asked to charge pre-schools a nominal fee on rates in line with their status as 'education facilities'.

Fianna Fáil’s Áine Smith raised the matter at the June monthly meeting of Cavan County Council and urged the local authority to write to the Department of Housing and the Valuation Office to de-rate early education providers.

Cllr Smith said that despite EU and national level official documentation referring to preschool childcare services as early years education, the providers themselves are still being charged rates.

“It is beyond belief that the Valuations Office is getting away with this as it is stated in law that they are educational facilities. Not only is it in law but these are also subject to Department of Education inspections for all services provided from 0-6 years.”

Cllr Smith said that the Irish childcare sector is currently operating on less than half the funding enjoyed by our European counterparts.

“Whilst it is improving it still lags far behind Europe. They are required to provide high standards on a shoestring budget. If the council could work with the services within the county and help reduce some of the onerous burden of very high costs, it would really help to support some services who are truly struggling financially.

“We need to value our childcare services as they are essential to a functioning economy.”

Stressing her belief that all education services “should be exempt” from paying rates, Cllr Smith recalled how Cavan County Council had previously decided “some years ago to exempt such services from rates but private providers are still paying high rates. Early Education services are needed nowadays in every community”.

She added that the increased cost of living and high costs have put pressure on childcare providers, with staffing shortages and other costs.

“Government has provided additional financial support for the early education sector but parents still have substantial costs to meet,” stated Cllr Smith, adding that early education providers “need to be treated as an integral part” of the overall education system.

“I can see first-hand the difference early education providers make in a young child’s life and without this excellent education, our children would most definitely be at a huge disadvantage,” she concluded.

Supporting the motion, Independent Shane P O’Reilly said he had previously tabled such a demand twice before, as did Cllr Smith’s party colleague John Paul Feeley.

There was support too for the motion from Clifford Kelly (FF), TP O’Reilly (FG), Peter McVitty (FG), Brendan Fay (Ind), Philip Brady (FF), Aiden Fitzpatrick (FF), Sarah O’Reilly (Aon), Madeleine Argue (FG), and Patricia Walsh (FF).