Cutbacks in funds for childcare provision in Vocational Education Committees would lead to the closure of some childcare centres and force many marginalised students to withdraw from educational programmes, the VECs' representative body said yesterday.
The 37 per cent reduction in the allocation for the maintenance of childcare centres was brought in without warning, said Mr Michael Moriarty, the general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education
Association.
He said the childcare centres were operated by VECs to assist students returning to education and availing of the educational programmes.
A Department of Education spokesman said the grant was intended as a contribution to costs. VECs determined the level of provision and had discretion to bridge the gap between the grant and the actual costs they approved.
He said the allocation for people participating in the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, Youthreach and Senior Traveller Training centres for 2003 was €2.984 million.
This compared to an initial allocation in 2003 of €3.019 million.
"Due to once-off savings on other programmes in 2002, it proved possible to increase the initial allocation for childcare by €1.7 million," Mr Moriarty said.
He said VECs were left with no option but to take drastic action and some had already confirmed that childcare centres would close this autumn.
The effects of these closures would mean that many VTOS, Youthreach and Traveller Training centre students would have to withdraw from educational programmes in the autumn.
"These students are the most marginalised and cannot afford to pay commercial rates for childcare purposes," Mr Moriarty said.
There are 1,338 students on the VTOS, Youthreach and Traveller programmes benefiting from the child care, catering for 1,672 children, of whom 1,257 are in full-time childcare and 415 in part-time childcare.