A playschool in Clogheen is set to close after 20 years due to a reduction in grants and a fall off in student numbers.
Staff members from Clogheen Community Playgroup, located at the grounds of St Theresa’s Hospital, along with local businessman Pat English, had expressed hope for the school’s future after meeting with Deputy Jackie Cahill TD but an application for extra funding through the Clár grant scheme proved unsuccessful, bringing to an end a service that spanned two decades.
The playschool, which last year catered for 11 children and had two full-time staff, had its annual funding slashed in half three years ago when they were informed by TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency, that the agency was facing ‘considerable challenges in meeting financial targets.’
SAD TIME
The school had experienced a 50% drop in enrolment for the coming year with just five students enrolled for September of 2017.
“Clearly this is unsustainable and sadly we are left with no choice but to close the playschool,” said Sharon Doyle, who had been teaching at the school since 2001.
“Perhaps if we had more time to wait for grant approval the outcome could have been different but unfortunately we didn’t have time to wait. We had to notify parents to give them the opportunity to enrol their kids elsewhere.
“Myself and Kathleen O’Gorman, who taught at the school for 14 years, would like to thank everyone who helped and supported us over the years. It is a very sad time for both of us but we did all we could to keep the doors of the playschool open,” she said.
