I hate to do this but I am left with no other choice. I am speaking on behalf of myself as a childcare provider and other childminders in the area. I have never been so upset and put out in my whole life.

Ballymacrbry is a small rural area and great to support others in a time of need. The people of the locality are everything to our rural village with many great businesses amoung us.

I am asking you to sign this to help childminders to keep doing what they are doing and keep our jobs within the local area. Children spend long enough in school in a day it's nice to go somewhere fun afterwards which is what we childminders provide, a fun environment where they can do homework and play with others.

Help me and others keep our childminding services going. An outsider of the local community are trying to open a before and after school service within the school to which I had enquired about and expressed an interest in before opening my own place back in the summer of 2018 and told no at that time. I am saddened I wasn't consulted on any of this and fear what will happen my business.

I pursued with my plan to open a before and after school much needed service and opened realta Beag in 2018 and started out with 1 child 1 or 2 evenings a week for a max of €22 for a whole 8 months, I thought to myself was it worth it or did I just leave my pernament job for nothing but slowly and surely I got my name out there with alot of patience and hard work as anyone does when they open a business.

2019 we had a few more new faces and 2020 was looking good until the pandemic hit!

Summer of 2020 childcare facilities could open up again for essential workers to which I was extremely valued among this hard time and very grateful to be working in a job that I adore.

2021 we are soaring, business is flying, kids are happy and I even had a wait list, never did I think I could be so lucky to have build such a successful business from nothing.

I was not consulted on this and fear closure going into September 2022. Opening a business takes a leap of faith and has many up's and down in the whole process so I am asking you to help me and others stay open and think about local people as I opened this business to help the school and locality.