Almost 2 thousand children under age of 3 on waiting lists for creches across Galway

Almost 2 thousand children under the age of 3 are on waiting lists for creches across Galway.

The figures are supplied by Early Childhood Ireland, which is urging the Government to increase capacity in the upcoming budget.

Early Childhood says every child in Ireland should have the right to access high-quality early years and school age care.

But it warns this isn’t happening due to a lack of proper planning.

In Galway, there are now 377 kids under the age of one on creche waiting lists, compared to just five available places.

When it comes to children between one and two, that figure jumps to 855, with just sixteen free places.

And there are a further 682 kids between two and three on waiting lists, compared to 161 open spaces.

Ahead of the budget, Early Childhood Ireland is asking Government to publish a five-year plan with new investment targets.

It’s also calling for improved family leave entitlements, and to give priority to the pay of graduates working in early years and school age care settings