Four thousand childcare places have been lost since new regulations and inspections were introduced in 1996, the Minister of State for Children has confirmed.
The heaviest losses have been in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow and in the west, Ms Mary Hanafin told the Fine Gael TD Ms Frances Fitzgerald in a written reply. Ms Fitzgerald yesterday described the figure as "staggering".
The biggest loss - 943 places - has been in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area (Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow).
The other large shortfalls are 818 in the Western Health Board (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon), 685 in the North Eastern Health Board (Cavan, Louth, Meath, Monaghan), 650 in the Southern Health Board (Cork, Kerry) and 565 in the Mid Western Health Board (Clare, Limerick, North Tipperary).
Ms Fitzgerald said it was incumbent on the Minister and the Government to make up these places as a matter of urgency.
Before the introduction of the regulations, providers warned that a number of them would go out of business unless they were given grant-aid to adapt their premises to meet the new regulations.
Most of the losses of childcare places seem to have occurred before this year, with about 1,000 places being wound down at the moment, according to the Minister.
"The reduction took place as the health, safety and welfare of the children could not be guaranteed," said Ms Hanafin.
The National Children's Nurseries Association yesterday published guidelines on setting up after-school services, a package for second-level schools on careers in childcare, and a self-assessment manual for childcare managers.