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

I move:

That Dáil Éireann: notes:

— the early years sector has been acutely underfunded for many years and as a result Ireland is ranked the lowest country in the European Union (EU) for investment in this vital area;

— this lack of adequate and sustainable funding has ensured fees for parents are amongst the highest in the EU;

— that the steep costs accrued by parents in securing early years childcare places a significant financial burden on families;

— this sector, which employs approximately 30,000 people, has some of the most highly qualified professionals who are paid some of the lowest wages of any sector, with many existing on minimum wage;

— that the public health emergency has further highlighted sustainability issues within the sector, with many early years providers fearing closure; and

— the barrier to employment, particularly for women, as a direct result of accessing childcare and the exorbitant costs which are particularly cumbersome; and

calls on the Government to:

— introduce a comprehensive early years plan that:

— defines the early years as a distinct phase with unique learning and developmental requirements;

— recognises the diversity of the early years sector and acknowledges that a onesize-fits-all solution is insufficient to address this diversity;

— delivers an early years sustainability fund for the whole sector;

— commits to significantly ramping up investment year-on-year, fast-tracking to a spend of at least one per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as recommended by the early years sector and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);

— reinstates the wage subsidy scheme at the full amount, as the basis of investment in the sector, so that entry level wages increase to the living wage;

— fully commits to implement pay scales and full continuous professional development for all staff which properly value childcare as a viable long-term career choice; and

— ensures, once proper investment is in place, that a maximum weekly childcare fee is set, incrementally reducing until the service is free at the point of use; and

— commit to engage with the sector in the development of the plan and ensure that representatives of the sector are consulted with.

I am delighted to introduce this motion for debate. I wish to acknowledge the involvement of our stakeholders, who could not be with us today due to Covid-19 restrictions.

I thank each and every one of them for their campaigning, advice and expert opinion. This motion was drafted in close consultation with the childcare and early years sector and has been significantly influenced by the hundreds of emails from parents, workers and providers in the sector that both myself and my Sinn Féin colleagues have received.

Families are crying out for a high quality childcare system that is affordable, accessible and sustainable. It is obvious to everyone here and to the wider public that the early years sector is in crisis. The current funding model is failing everyone. It is failing children, their families, their educators and childcare providers.

As the party spokesperson on children, disability, equality and integration, and as a mother of two boys, I am keenly aware on a personal level the serious issues facing the sector.

Childcare was in crisis before Covid and during Covid and it will remain in crisis after Covid if the Government does not seriously commit to sustainable investment in the sector. I and my Sinn Féin colleagues believe strongly that this phase in a young child’s life should be recognised as a distinct phase with unique learning and developmental requirements and all funding models should reflect this. While other parties suggest tax credits will reduce costs, they will do nothing to address the pay of workers. The childcare sector and the workers deserve better.

I am constantly contacted by parents, workers and providers wanting to share their experience of using, working and operating in, unfortunately, what has become a broken system. I know I am not the only Deputy in the Chamber who is witnessing the failings of the current funding model in their constituencies.

The major issue facing the sector is sustainable funding. Our early years sector must be resourced adequately to provide lower fees for parents, stability for workers and sustainable businesses for providers. There are three main areas that this motion seeks to address. First are the workers. Of the approximately 30,000 workers in the early years sector many, who have spent several years at college studying and furthering their professional development and are extremely experienced and qualified after a lifetime in the sector, are still earning less than the living wage. Many do not get sick leave and many have to sign on for social welfare during the summer break. Yesterday, SIPTU published a survey, the Big Start Campaign, showing more than one quarter of all surveyed have suffered significant pay cuts post Covid. It also shows that 32% indicated they intend to leave the sector due to low pay. I know they do not want to leave the sector, but they are being forced out.

This needs to be addressed and one move the Government could take immediately is to reinstate the wage subsidy scheme and extend it past the end of 2020. Workers would have certainty and providers could concentrate on educating our young citizens. In response to Covid a key and critical component of our plan was implemented: the State took on the wage bill, so it is possible to do this.

Parents are burdened with some of the highest fees in Europe, which evidence shows creates a significant barrier to maternal employment. Women are adversely affected by higher fees and forced to stay out of the workforce while their children are small.

As workers and parents are squeezed at one end of the system, childcare providers, mainly small businesses and predominately managed and owned by women, are being squeezed at the other end. The vast majority of childcare providers are delivering high quality education to our young children at an important stage in their learning and emotional development.

The programme for Government rightly states that childcare should “promote quality, better outcomes for children and make a career in childcare more attractive”, but what is the Government’s plan to deliver this? To date we have seen lower wages for its workers, parents are more or less guaranteed fees will continue to rise and providers fear closure due to inadequate funding

The motion sets out three clear objectives that Sinn Féin believes will deliver a fairer deal for the provision of childcare. We are failing children, we are failing workers and we are failing childcare providers if this motion is not passed. I am asking every Deputy here tonight please to support this motion and finally to give childcare and the early year’s sector the funding and the recognition it deserves.

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