Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kathleen Funchion for bringing forward this debate tonight. It comes after the recent exchange of questions on child care. We all agree on the importance of early childhood education. All children should have education, care and support in a safe nurturing environment.

Children in disadvantaged areas have additional needs and they present further challenges. I want to make a special case for community child care because these are the children in communities of greatest need.

A survey was done of a number of community child care services. The survey found that 34% of the children attending were from a lone-parent background, a figure twice the national average. Some 35% are from a household where no adult is working. Again, that figure is twice the national average. The survey found that 16% attending had English as a second language. In Dublin Central the figure is far higher. The services are also taking referrals from Tusla and public health nurses. Moreover, they make referrals onto other services. I am making the case that they have additional needs and challenges.

I believe there should be positive discrimination towards those areas of greatest need. If we do not make a real difference in the early years, then those children will be playing catch-up for the rest of their childhood. They will be at a disadvantage going into primary school. That makes it very difficult for them when they get to second level.

My constituency has some excellent community child care services. Those involved are coping and working to address the challenges. Of course, in Dublin Central those challenges have been added to in the past year by the number of murders as well as the violence and anti-social behaviour. Our children are going to the community child care services and schools. They have had murders on their streets. The Garda armed response unit is an almost daily vision that they see on their way here and there. Members of their families have been shot. That is what the community child care services and the schools are dealing with. The pay does not match those responsibilities. Kieran Mulvey's report recognises that this cohort of people working in preschool child care, primary and post-primary schools are working hard to provide stability and security for children.

We need to get early years community care right. We need to get the right staff with qualifications in place; they have a unique role. We know the scheme enables those in unemployment to get into the labour market, because quality child care is available.

The Minister referenced €1 million in funding for community child care for those having difficulty meeting the regulatory requirements due to change, especially those who are relying on CE schemes. We need to look at that. The Minister said it is making a difference, but we need more detail on those services where it is not making a difference. I understand the reasoning behind the changes. We all agree on the need for quality and recognised qualifications that are at least FETAC level 5. However, it would be good to look at the possibility of a grandfather clause. Reference was made to DEIS status. Such an arrangement could tide those community child care settings over while the staff are being trained. Some of them are approaching the end of that training.

The pay issue is relevant. The reports and the evidence are available. Low pay is a fact for those working in the sector, especially those in the community sector. We are seeing an increase in the part-time employment and 38-week contracts. They have been referred to as well. The wages do not reflect the qualifications. Also, the setting does not incentivise those working in child care to move towards further qualifications.

I like the BA degree course in early childhood care which is provided part time in the National College of Ireland because it recognises prior experiential learning, such that experience and relevant work count as basic qualifications.

There are higher costs in providing child care in urban settings. The Minister mentioned an independent review of quality child care. The information provided for Deputies by the Oireachtas Library and Research Service references the many reports already produced in this area, including a number last year, including a departmental survey, an early years profile, a national skills bulletin, an ICTU report, not to mention previous reports and surveys. I wonder, therefore, about the necessity for another report. We all know what needs to be done; we just need to do it. Will the recommendations made in the Early Childhood Ireland report be implemented?

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