Controversial Limerick preschool to wind down in June

A COUNTY Limerick preschool at the centre of a saga, in which its manager of 21 years departed after a shock resignation, is to wind down this summer, the Leader has learned.

Breda Costello, former manager of Kilmallock Pre-School Ltd, resigned “due to circumstances beyond my control” in mid-March, prompting widespread shock and anger in the town.

Shortly after announcing her departure, around 200 people attended an emergency community meeting to discuss the issue, after which a letter was issued to the board of management.

Now, it has emerged, that the current organisation is to wind down at the end of the school year in June, and a new committee will be formed for the established of a new community preschool organisation in September.

However, question marks still hang over the position of Ms Costello, locally-known as Teacher Breda, and if she will be part of the new organisation or not.

Trevor McCarthy, who was chairperson of the community meeting in March, said the setting up of the new preschool “is a major priority for the community.

“A preschool is an essential service at the heart of the community, and does invaluable work for the families and children it serves. With community involvement, this new organisation will educate and care for the children of Kilmallock, while responding to the needs and concerns of their parents. Ideally, we will have parent and community reps on the board to ensure this. I want to thank everyone who attended the numerous meetings over the past few weeks to try and resolve this issue, including parents, Teacher Breda herself, and Cllr Mike Donegan.

“It has been a difficult couple of weeks, but most importantly, no child will be without a pre-school to attend come September,” said Mr McCarthy, who is running in the local elections for the Social Democrats. 

Canon Fr Willie William Fitzmaurice, who is chairperson of the board of management, confirmed that the committee is stepping down at the end of the school year. He said the decision of the committee to step down is a “natural course of events”.

“The different people involved in it [the board] had intended their desire to step out and hand it over to somebody else.”

He said that a new committee will be set up to “ensure that the facility will continue”.

He said the committee members have “wanted to do that for a little while” and that “now is the opportune time to put that into action and to allow another group to run the preschool”.

The decision to disband the committee was mooted at the start of the year, it is understood.