Travellers' association takes over Tuam community crèche

By JACQUELINE HOGGE THE future of Tuam's €1.2m community crèche has been secured following the transfer of ownership to the Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Association.[private] The childcare facility in Parkmore was officially opened by President Mary McAleese in 2008, but has run into difficulties since then in securing sufficient numbers to make it a viable entity. Despite attempts by Tuam Community Development Resource Centre, which operated the crèche until last October, to appoint an independent board to run the facility it was in danger of closing following the winding down of the TCDRC over the coming weeks. 'It was always intended to put the crèche out into the community,' said Seamus Rutledge, acting chairperson of TCDRC. 'But when we tried to do that by advertising for interested parties to form a board of management last August we got no response. 'Because it is a publicly-funded facility we had to transfer it to another public body and one that has charitable status, so the Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Association was our only option as it meets both criteria. 'They came on board to line manage the centre last October and this week they took over the full control of the service. Given their expertise in childcare, they were the only body that could take it over. 'We've been working on this for over a year and have been involved with Galway City and County Childcare Community and local representatives as well as with parents of those children attending the crèche and the staff who work there. 'There's no change in the service being provided, this will just ensure the facility will continue in the community.' Martin Ward, chairperson of the Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Association, based in Brú Bhríde, said there would be no changes to the service offered and pointed out that since his organisation had taken over the daily running of the facility, numbers attending had increased. 'Since we started to manage the centre there's been an increase of 20 children using the after school facility, so we're happy that our experience in providing childcare services will mean this is a perfect match,' he said. 'We've been able to extend the service to 50 weeks a year when previously it was only 38 weeks and it's meant more parents can avail of the service here on a year round basis. 'We're also running piano and guitar classes that children who don't even attend the crèche are coming to, so we're making full use of what is a community facility.' Mr Ward added that the crèche accounts and finances would be kept entirely separate from those of Brú Bhríde's, and that there would be no drain on resources from either body as a result of the merger. Mary Giblin of The Galway City and County Childcare Committee said the transfer of ownership had no implications on the facility as the quality of the service depended on the staff, who had been retained during the transition. 'I have no fears that this transfer will have any negative effect on the service offered by the community crèche in Tuam, indeed without it, it would have meant the loss of the service,' she said. David Collins of the Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Association said the number of Traveller children attending the facility was equal to those settled children and said more needed to be done to inform parents of their entitlement to financial assistance for childcare. 'The majority of parents whose children attend the facility are on training courses, and they receive a subvention towards childcare costs. This is available to anyone going back to education or formal training and people need to know that they are entitled to help with childcare costs,' he said.[/private]