Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Deputies for their contributions, sincerity and support for the motion. It is heartening that so many understand the issues facing the sector. It was important for us to have the debate to highlight the issues, but it is even more important for us to take action. Time and again, we have a tendency to come into the Chamber or other rooms in Leinster House to talk about an issue or a crisis and then go away and do nothing about it. I sincerely hope the proposals made in our motion will be supported and followed through.

I welcome many of the Minister's comments, particularly on meeting child care workers, workers in the early years sector and the unions. Her acknowledgement of the need for a sectoral employment order shows that she knows that there is a crisis in the sector and that working conditions are not good enough. However, I do not believe - I used to work for a union - that we should have to wait for a sectoral employment order. If the Minister knows that the issues need to be addressed, we should address them in the House.

All Deputies were supportive of the motion and acknowledged the fact that workers in the sector needed to be valued and paid correctly; therefore, we should examine our motion. On pay and conditions, the Minister said new approaches and thinking outside the box were required. That is welcome and exactly what we should do. In that regard, we need an independent early years service cost and sustainability review. There is no reason the Members of this House cannot decide to commission the development of nationally agreed pay scale for the early years workforce and provide the necessary funding for it.

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