Childcare practitioners have cited a "crèche crisis" that has led many well-established crèche owners to consider closing their doors due to the administrative burden created by a new system.
The issue was raised concerning an hourly rate of €1.40 for the universal childcare subsidy introduced by Government in September to help parents meet childcare costs.
Paula Donoghue told RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline that the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) is great for "squeezed parents" however, childcare providers are falling prey to its structure.
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"I dread the cumbersome unbelievable burden that comes with the NCS, that falls fully on the shoulder of the providers," she explained live on air.
She stressed that despite opposition at the time, the hourly rate was passed through, which she said, does not match the sessional, full-time or part-time care provided.
Paula informed that there are 16 steps for childcare providers to complete before the money they are awarded comes into play, which is for one child only.
Hours attending, input into the system, parental contracts and fee explanations to families are some of the facets of the "administrative nightmare" for providers, Paula said.
"I have in excess of 100 children using the NCS in my service," she told Joe.
She stressed that hourly rates do not work and called for sessional, part-time and full-time rates to be introduced in a bid to take all the administrative burden out of the work.
Paula added that she has to count the hours of each of the 100 plus children each week to ensure everything is correct.
"I didn't go into childcare to police nor administer a scheme on behalf of the government. It is wrong and it is driving good people like myself, out of childcare," she said.
Joe said there is an issue of trust between parents and childcare providers in totaling up the correct amount of hours, brought on by the scheme.
"They need to administer and police it themselves," Paula said about the Government.
Another creche owner based in South Dublin told Joe that she has to administer the hours of 180 children, in what she described as an "unworkable system."
A third owner, Sonia Duggan, said the system is taking away the focus of "educating the children" due to being stuck in the office on unpaid time, leaving less time for teachers and assistants in helping the children.
"It is just not tenable. My parents are not in a position for me to increase my fees to cover this administrative work," she said.
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