A number of childcare centres across the country closed yesterday in order for management and staff to attend the protest in Dublin, while more held protests inside their facilities to demonstrate their anger at poor pay conditions.

The centres are set to unite in the New Year in further protest, as parents and local representatives have been invited to childcare facilities to see the work put in and the salaries they receive.

Childcare professionals are pushing the Government to provide more funding for their sector.

If that doesn’t work, they will consider strike action, according to head of the Association of Childcare Professionals (ACP), Marian Quinn.

“It is decimating us, providers can’t get staff now, because they are leaving, it is becoming a big crisis for us,” she said.

Read the full article on The Irish Independent website