Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As has been said a number of times, there is an estimated 22,000 staff in the early childhood education and care sector in this State. Their job is an incredibly important one. Parents place their trust in them to look after and aid the development of their young children. Their worth is acknowledged by many but not by all. There is little doubt but that the Government has failed at least to date to recognise the contribution they make, as it has failed to address the wholly inadequate pay rates experienced by those working in this sector. It is no exaggeration to say that these workers have been and continue to be exploited.

The average wage of a child care worker falls significantly below the living wage and does not reflect their qualifications. Thousands of them are on a 38-week contract which means that during the summer period they will be left with no other option but to go on social welfare. Is it any wonder that community and private child care services are struggling to retain, let alone recruit, staff? It comes as no surprise that evidence shows that early childhood education is crucial for children at the foundation stage of their development. It is also no secret that the improvement of working conditions and salaries will not only benefit those working in the sector but will also be to the advantage of the children. It is in all our interests to ensure that the situation is improved and that our children have the best possible start in their lives.

It is high time the Government properly recognised the valuable contribution of early years sector, as distinct from fine words and faint praise that we have heard all too often.

Their contribution to Irish society in providing early education and care for the youngest of Irish citizens should no longer be dismissed. We spend significantly less on early years education, at 0.5% of gross domestic product, against the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 0.7% and even less than the international benchmark of 1%. Investment is needed to bring us into line with other countries.

Another issue of concern that has recently been brought to my attention pertaining to child care is the difficulty experienced by parents in securing the necessary supports in preschools for their children with special needs. In my constitutency of Cavan-Monaghan five new places were granted for young children under the HSE preschool support worker grants scheme - three children in Cavan and two in Monaghan. I am aware of a case in which a child with special needs has been refused support and there is, therefore, a strong possibility that she will be unable to take up her place in her playschool. That is so wrong. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted on the matter, I was informed that, alongside the HSE preschool support worker grants scheme, a service was provided as part of the access and inclusion model for which parents could apply. However, when I looked at the scheme, what I discovered and what the answer to the parliamentary question failed to mention was the fact that “finally, it should be noted that the access and inclusion model will take three to five years to fully embed as multi-annual educational and training programmes are rolled out and capacity is built up in the system. The HSE does, on an ad hocbasis, make some supports available and these arrangements will continue while the new model is being established”. The model only got going in September 2016. I have submitted a further parliamentary question asking how many children have accessed supports through the access and inclusion model seeing that the HSE can provide some supports "on an ad hocbasis". I await the Minister’s response with interest. I would also appreciate it if she could look into the matter in a more substantial way than the responses to parliamentary questions often suggest. No child should be denied a place in a preschool because he or she is differently abled, a point I emphasise.

I sincerely hope all Teachtaí will support this important motion. I commend my colleagues for their initiative in bringing it forward.

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