Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
520. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to improve rates of pay for childcare workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21490/24]
View answerI recognise that pay in the sector remains low and does not reflect the importance of the work early years educators and school age childcare practitioners do and I am committed to supporting further improvements.
As the State does not employ staff in ELC and SAC services, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector.
However, there is now, through the independent Joint Labour Committee (JLC) process, a formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate terms and conditions of employment including minimum pay rates for different roles in ELC and SAC services.
This process provided the first ever Employment Regulation Orders for the sector and increased wages for over 70% of staff working in services.
I understand that the JLC continues to meet and have submitter to the Labour Court new draft EROs proposing a 5% increase in minimum rates for all grades and the removal of 3 years experience requirement for graduate minimum pay rates.
Outcomes from the JLC process are support by the Government through the Core Funding scheme, which has an allocation for this programme year alone of €287 million and I will again increase this allocation by a further 15%, for the third year of the scheme, to €331 million.
In line with commitments in First 5, in December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in ELC and SAC and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. It includes a career framework and commitments to support early years educators to upskill and develop their careers. It also includes commitments to strengthen continuing professional development for staff working in the sector.
I also recently established a sub-group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum to discuss issues of recruitment and retention with stakeholders in the sector. This group has met on two occasions since December last year and is scheduled to meet again in mid May.
