Concern has been expresssed about the lack of childcare places in Cork.
73 childcare businesses have closed their doors across the city and county in the last five years.
Local politicans say they have been contacted by many parents detailing the struggle they face trying to find places for their children and the knock on effect this is having - predominatly on women - many of whom are forced to give up their careers.
The figures come after childcare owners began reacting to the new Core Funding Scheme put forward by the Government which will see two thirds of the €221 million scheme go towards staff wages along with a pledge that providers will not raise their fees about 2021 levels.
Speaking to RedFM News John Bowman of BEL Childcare in Douglas says the exit of smaller childcare providers will only add to the pressure on parents and local communities.
"What we are seeing is the exit of smaller providers out of the sector, and that is quite worrying as smaller providers are able to provide bespoke services in areas that may not be profitable for a larger organisation.
"That is worrying because there seems to be a trend that the Government want larger providers.
"Everybody works within their niche, but if we start losing people out of those sectors its the children that are going to suffer and the communities that they serve are going to suffer."
