DETERMINED crèche owners and childcare workers from Killarney and other parts of Kerry hit the streets of Dublin yesterday demanding political action and seeking public support for fariness in their sector.
The professional childcare providers urged the public to sign petitions and to raise their concerns on the doorsteps with campaigners on the doorsteps in the final days of the general election ampaign.
Patricia Quigley, who runs ScallyWags PreSchool in Muckross, Killarney, had earlier said the government must provide adequate funding to ensure a professional wage and to ensure affordable childcare for parents.
“We need equality, fairness and inclusion for both private and community settings so that funding is open to all sectors,” she remarked.
Childcare providers are also demanding one inspection process in place of several involving Tulsa, DCYA, HSE, Pobal and the Department of Education.
The Kerry contingent, who joined thousands of other protesters in Dublin, appealed for support from the parents of young children and the families that have now left childcare settings but know the time, commitment and care they gave to children. Some of the protesters carried placards demanding insisting that they were over qualified and under paid.
Many preschools and creches throughout Kerry were closed for the day, with full support of parents.
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