Bríd Smith
Question:115. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to improve job quality and pay in the childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17046/24]
View answerThursday, 18 April 2024
Questions (115)
Written answers
Responsibility for the Childcare sector comes under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman.
There is a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) in place for the Early Learning and Childcare sector. Joint Labour Committees are independent in their functions.
On the 7th September 2022 the then Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail accepted proposals for Employment Regulation Orders for the Early Years Services Sector. The Orders commenced on 15 September 2022 and provided new minimum hourly rates of pay for various roles in the Early Years Services Sector. The full details of these EROs are publicly available online: S.I. No. 457/2022 - Employment Regulation Order (Early Years’ Service No. 1 Joint Labour Committee) 2022 (irishstatutebook.ie) and S.I. No. 458/2022 - Employment Regulation Order (Early Years’ Service No. 2 Joint Labour Committee) 2022 (irishstatutebook.ie)
If the JLC adopts proposals for a further ERO for the childcare sector, it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration. The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides to adopt the proposals, a copy will be presented to me and, if I consider it appropriate to do so, I will make an ERO giving effect to the proposals.
I have not to date received a proposal from the Labour Court in relation to a new ERO.