Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
575. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the pay grades outlined for childcare sector workers in the Mercer report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47777/18]
View answerI welcome inputs from all stakeholders in the early learning and care sector, including the recent Mercer report, which I understand was commissioned by the National Childhood Network and the Crann Support Group.
However, my Department is not the employer of early learning and care sector staff and cannot set wage levels. I renew my call for the sector to pursue a Sectoral Employment Order, and I note that the Mercer report advises this course of action also. A Sectoral Employment Order offers a viable mechanism to establish appropriate wage levels. My department will readily co-operate with such a process, if and when it is underway.
I would not wish to prejudice any future process through commenting on the specific wage levels suggested in this report, but will say again that I welcome all contributions that seek to address quality in Early Learning and Care, and I believe that those working in the sector need and deserve better pay and conditions, especially given the importance of the work they do in supporting children's early learning and development.
I have supported a range of measures to improve pay and conditions using the tools available to me. In particular, I have introduced additional capitation into funding programmes for early learning and care, including a 7% rise this September in the ECCE capitation rate, as well as Programme Support Payments to recognise the administrative roles that services play. I have also continued to provide a higher rate of capitation payment for graduate-led pre-school rooms, to encourage the attraction and retention of graduates. This year I also introduced a pilot measure for funding services whose staff take part in continuing professional development, and I hope to build on this pilot over the years to come, following an evaluation.
New data on current wage rates will shortly be available through Pobal's annual sector profile, which will be published later this month, and through the independent review of costs for service providers in the sector, which was commissioned by my Department. The new Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and Families contains significant actions to develop and support a valued early learning and care workforce that will deliver quality services to children in the most important years of their development.
