Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The early childhood care sector is in crisis. It is a significantly high cost to parents and providers are facing significant challenges with overheads, commercial rates etc. The staff, who are well-educated, earn little more than the minimum wage. Staff turnover in the sector last year was 24.7%. Many childcare workers who have got a third level degree are forced to go on the dole and be in receipt of social welfare benefits for several weeks during the year when they are not paid.

I recently met a lady who has childcare qualifications and has worked for ten years in the same childcare centre. With the exception of the minimum wage increase, she has received no other rise in her remuneration.

I met another young lady with a first-class honours degree in childcare who had to move back from Galway to Westmeath. She has to commute every day to Galway to work because she is on such low wages that she cannot afford to pay the high rents in Galway.

The Minister talks about valuing this workforce. The Government, however, is not demonstrating that it values them because they certainly do not feel valued at the moment.

See this speech in context