Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
515. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the actions he has taken to date to progress the establishment of a joint labour committee in the early childhood care and education, ECCE, sector. [6020/21]
View answerIn December 2020, working in partnership with SIPTU and Childhood Services Ireland (within IBEC), I began a short process in which interested parties were invited to discuss how best to address issues of pay and conditions in the sector and how a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) might support this. I appointed Dr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, to be an independent chair for this process.
The group has met three times in the last six weeks, and held its final meeting on 1 February. Discussions examined the nature of a JLC process and its relevance to the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector, and also explored what other mechanisms might be available to support improvements in wages and working conditions in the sector. Dr Duffy will shortly be reporting to me outlining the issues and possible solutions raised in the process, and making a recommendation on next steps.
While a number of important steps lie ahead, the commitment already shown by organisations that participated in the process to find a solution to issues arising is very welcome.
