Quasi 900 fornitori di assistenza all’infanzia approvati per aumentare le tasse nonostante il finanziamento statale

Childcare providers which, as part of the Government’s core funding model, have been prevented from increasing their prices in recent years, can apply for a fee increase assessment if their fees were “frozen at a level that may not be sufficient to sustain their business, even with the increased funding available through core funding”.

The Department of Children told the Irish Examiner over 20% of providers had been granted an increase and that the number was higher than the previously reported 850, due to appeals.

Childcare worker here.
While its not good for parents already stretched pockets, services have been locked into fees set in 2020. Think of all the bills in your home that have increased: utilities, food, insurance being the biggest and highest increase. Those bills alone are massive in childcare. Temperature requirements especially those that operate sleeping rooms means either the aircon or heating is on all the time.
The new ERO rates while ABSOLUTELY needed to help teachers earn something still far from decent, have started to push staff into the higher PRSI employer rate which can vary from 3 to 30+ plus employees. The increase in employee statutory rights (eg sick leave, pension enrolment) is also hitting services. Again absolutely needed, but the fact remains its more expenses.
This is just a very small snapshot of why services need an increase on fees, none of which are covered by the current funding schemes in ECCE, Core funding or NCS.

There’s also a perception out there that NCs & Ecce is huge money. My service charges €175 p/w. When a parent gets ECCE &/or NCS they just replace a portion of the €175. I dont get more than the €175. The gov just pays the parents part of that instead.

Edit typo