Keane welcomes change to valuation legislation

Fine Gael Senator for Dublin South-West, Cáit Keane, has today (Thursday) said she is very pleased that for not-for-profit community childcare providers are to be exempt from commercial rates. Senator Keane was speaking after the Minister of State in the Department of Finance, Simon Harris TD, with the agreement of the majority of Seanad members introduced an amendment to the Valuation (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2012, which will exempt up to 1,000 Community Childcare providers.

“As someone with a professional background in early childhood education and Montessori, I have been proposing this exemption for community creches and childcare facilities since the publication of this Bill in 2012. I am very pleased that this amendment by the Minister has been agreed to by a majority of all sides of the political divide in the Seanad and was agreed at Report Stage in the Seanad today.  

“It is incumbent upon the Government consider the importance of early childhood education and this measure is a very proactive step in this regard. Early childhood education has proved to be a return in investment for the State but, more importantly, we know the importance for children in their development. We know that 80% of a child’s development occurs by the age of 3. At just 22 months a child’s development level can accurately predict his or her educational outcome at 26 years of age. That means that at 22 months we know the educational outcome for a child. That fact reinforces for me the importance of early childhood education. Exempting community child care providers from commercial rate helps to promote early childhood education in terms of making it more accessible to hard pressed working parents.

“This exemption will normalise the application of commercial rates for not-for-profit and charitable providers of childcare which represent approximately 30% of the sector.  Significant direct support is provided to all childcare and early education providers particularly through the free pre-school year scheme. I look forward to the passage of the Bill to law in the New Year.”