Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I do not know if anything quite like it was ever seen before when more than 20,000 childcare workers came out onto the streets on 5 February. There was an emotion and anger about it that had been building up for years. One could see it being released on 5 February. There were demonstrations in Dublin, Cork and in other towns and cities across the country. There are 4,200 childcare centres in the State and it is estimated that more than 2,000 were closed on that day. This is a quote from one of the workers at the Dublin demonstration:

I’m paid €12 per hour for 38 weeks a year. I can’t get a mortgage. I have a level eight course. I’m still where I was seven years ago – and still paying education loans back.

She was paid €12 per hour, which is actually higher than the average rate in the profession, which is €11.45 per hour. This is nearly a full euro less than the official living wage.

Reference was made to last year's SIPTU survey of more than 3,000 childcare workers and early years educators. One of the questions in the survey asked "Are you able to cope with unexpected expenses?" An example was given of a broken boiler in the person's home. A total of 84% said "No." Another question asked "Do you think childcare workers are paid a fair wage?" Does the Minister know how many people answered positively? It was 1% of those surveyed. The situation now is worse than it was then with 29% of childcare workers on less money now than before the pandemic struck, according to reports in the last few days. This is the paid work, but what about the unpaid work such as record keeping, cleaning or liaising with parents? A total of 72% who were polled said they do unpaid work, including working through breaks for many workers. More than half, 52%, said they do not have time to take a break. When asked if they purchase their own supplies in the workplace or pay out of their own pocket, 65% said "Yes". When asked if they do training in their own time, of those polled 85% said "Yes". Training for what? The survey asked if higher qualifications led to higher wages and 68% of respondents said "No". Only 13% stated that having done more training and receiving more qualifications, they felt their professional qualifications were recognised in society.

No wonder demoralisation in the sector is so great. It is no wonder that more than two thirds, 67%, said they were probably going to leave the profession within five years if the situation remained the same.

The Covid crisis is an opportunity to change all of that. It can be a fork in the road. What kind of sector do we need and what kind of sector now needs to be built? There was an interesting three-page report done by the Oireachtas Library and Research Service several weeks back in which it asked what the barriers are to the universal provision of childcare in the State. It named two factors. It did not give one greater prominence over the other. Instead, it gave them equal prominence. Number one is the negative economic consequences of Covid. Number two is the market-driven approach to childcare provision in the State. I believe that the campaign for decent pay and conditions for childcare workers goes hand in hand with ending the market-driven approach and replacing it with childcare provision for the needs of people based on State investment in a State child care system. I am not referring to State investment at one of the lowest levels in all of Europe but bringing this up to the EU average at least.

According to The Irish Timestoday, to bring it up to the EU average, one would need an investment of €2.27 billion. It is not cheap. It is a lot of money but it is worth doing. It is possible to do if one goes after the likes of the €14 billion in the Apple escrow account rather than joining forces with Apple and saying that we do not want it. It is possible if one goes for a steeply progressive taxation system which makes the people who have got serious money in our society, the upper echelons and the big corporations, pay at a rate they can afford to create a pool of initiatives such as a free childcare service provided by the State.

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