Childcare providers are furious at plans by the Government to force them to refund parents who have been charged for services for the month of January.
In a letter sent to childcare providers this week, the Department of Children instructed childcare services to open for parents who are essential workers and vulnerable children from Monday, unless they have received formal instruction to close.
The department confirmed ways to enforce the payment of refunds were also being explored, and said that many childcare providers are already offering refunds. However, chairperson of the Federation of Early Childcare Providers, which represents more than 1400 providers, Elaine Dunne said they are being made to look “greedy”.