Ms Deborah Reynolds:

I will revert to Deputy Bacik's comments about quality within the sector. Quality in the sector worries many people. I have been in the sector for 15 years. Policy after policy from the Government has pushed for quality. The one thing that has never happened, despite all that has been asked of us, is pay, that is, a reward for the hard work that we have put in place.

Since 2016, as the staffing crisis has become more apparent, we have seen a challenge to quality. The recent OECD report, the Starting Strong report, talks about process quality. Process quality is what the OECD calls the key driver of children's development, learning and well-being. That will come from interactions, having conversations with children and creating a safe and secure environment for them in order that they can blossom. Sometimes we can get mired in talking about statistics, in what is happening next and in what is happening now. Yet, something that can be done next week - although I know there is a lot to do in the future - is an improvement in pay. An improvement in pay would stop the exodus of staff from the sector. There may still be a few who may go down the road and get a better job in a supermarket or a restaurant, where they can get better pay. However, some people will stay if the Government puts a bit of hope in the budget next week by investing in the JLC.

A by-product of investing in wages and people staying in the sector would be an improvement in quality. If there is an average of 23% turnover in settings and a 40% turnover in some full day care crèches, the process quality must start over and over again each time a new staff member arrives. It is not fair on families, on children or on staff. There are many problems but if we are talking about the future, we can have that conversation. However, in a situation in which staff cannot afford their electricity bill, are struggling to save for Christmas or are unsure whether they will be able to put fuel in their car for next week, were the Government to put pay into the pockets of workers and early years professionals, a by-product of that would be to help the development of quality, which would help children and families. It would develop the quality sector for which the Department pushes constantly. This would help families but it would also help the professionals who work in the sector.

What we are seeking next week is a good foundation on which to build over the next couple of years in order that we can build upon and go back for our next JLC and improve upon it all the time. As we improve the investment into the sector, we should bring our wages up to EU levels. In other EU countries, early years professionals are vastly better paid than we are. I know of people who are at the end of their tether. These are managers and staff who have been working through the pandemic and who are burned out and stressed. They just want a reward. They do not want appreciation or a pat on the back or a “Thank you”. They would like to see something concrete and tangible, namely, an improvement in their wages next week.