Brid Smith calls on Brian Hayes to intervene to stop closure Tallaght Hospital crèche [Press Release]
21 May 2013
Following a meeting with parents using Tallaght Hospital crèche Brid Smith, People Before Profit MEP candidate for Dublin is calling on Brain Hayes, Minister and Fine Gael TD for Dublin South West to intervene and stop the crèche closure.
Commenting today Brid Smith said: “I was invited to a meeting this morning with the parents of The Small World Creche in Tallaght Hospital. The parents I met this morning are nurses, radiographers physiotherapists and admin staff who all do vital work in the hospital. They are all worried sick about the future.
“The crèche provided an essential service. It opened at 7am, allowing staff starting an early shift to drop their children off. It was also convenient for women who were breast-feeding as they could drop over during lunchtime and feed their children. It will be impossible for parents to find another crèche that can offer this.
“Parents are paying €900 per month which is the equivalent of a second mortgage but they were very happy with the high standard of care that their children received.
“The parents feel that the hospital was using impending new regulations as a reason to close the crèche and creating problems where none exist. Even if crèche did fall short of the new requirements from Tulsa they will have six to 12 months to address this.
“The closure of this crèche is an anti-woman, anti-family measure being imposed on health care workers who already work in a high stress environment due to the chronic underfunding of the health service. The closure is being implemented by a management that cares more about the bottom line than it does about the needs and wellbeing of its staff. I am calling on Brian Hayes, Minister and Fine Gael TD for Dublin South West to immediately intervene and stop management from closing this essential crèche.”
ENDS
For information / confirmation contact Brid Smith 087-909 0166
or Sinéad Kennedy 087-7712160 (Press Officer)