John Browne T.D. welcomes visit by Minister Andrews to Wexford

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Barry Andrews, T.D. today (June 21) officially opened two child-care facilities in Wexford. The combined spend on the two centres, Gorey Community and Youth Child-care Centre and Teach Spraoi Community Child-care in Taghmon, amounts to just over €2 million. Approximately, €31.2 million has been allocated to County Wexford in Child-care funding over the past ten years.

The Gorey Community Youth and Child-care Centre has been operational since November 2009 and the child-care centre has capacity for 63 children. The service provides a baby room, toddler room and preschool service. The centre has received €1.1. million in Government funding under the National Child-care Investment Programme.

Teach Spraoi Community Child-care in Taghmon has received over €900,000 in capital funding and the centre provides a service to 105 children. The mix of services includes the free preschool year, an after-school programme and a parent and toddler service.

Speaking in Gorey and Taghmon this morning, Minister Andrews paid tribute to the vision and dedication of the local voluntary committees.

The Minister said,

“The local communities here in Wexford have provided real leadership and support for parents and children in providing state of the art child-care facilities with a wide range of services. Wexford County Council, the Wexford Local Development Group and the County Child-care Committee have come together to support these local initiatives. The Government has invested over €31 million in Wexford to support affordable and quality child-care. I am particularly delighted that the facilities in Gorey and Taghmon are participating in the free preschool year, which is in its first year of operation.”