There could be yet more permanent closures in the early childcare sector.

Thirty-one childcare services in the Dublin area alone closed their doors in the second quarter of this year.

This is being described as the tip of the iceberg as it does not include the number of closures nationally.

Federation of Early Childhood Providers Chairperson Elaine Dunne said the closures are the result of a lack of proper funding from the  Government.

“For the set of funding that was given to us in 2021, we had to agree to freeze our fees,” she said.

“So many of the small and medium services are stuck in a fee freeze that’s dating back to either 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017.

“We’re in historical fee freezes - so, that is one of the biggest issues.

“We have continuously said this for the Department of Children and our Minister that this is causing a huge issue for many of the service providers.”

Ms Dunne said some providers are already withdrawing from the Government’s core-funding programme or are seriously considering it.

“We are hugely concerned that the funding… is now failing many of the small, medium and now some of the large providers as well,” she said.

“It’s very concerning that our voices are not being listened to or heard at all through the Department of Children.”

Around one third of children in Ireland are estimated to be enrolled in some type of childcare.

Main image: A group of children from a nursery school. Image: Gary Hider / Alamy