Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Naughten is right. That is why we need the workforce planning model to make sure there is no disincentive to staff training and continuing their education in order that they can move to higher grades and provide a high standard of care to children. We need to ensure we support providers in paying staff who are achieving high levels of training. My Department has the ECCE scheme in place under which the provider gets a higher capitation rate when the ECCE room is led by someone with a level 7 qualification or higher. There are still problems in the sector. I absolutely accept that.

Deputy Funchion asked for the Crowe report to be published for a long time. The information on the unit cost is one piece of research that is valuable. My predecessor undertook that review. We have used that research in many arguments to secure the exemption for the employment wage subsidy scheme. It is already paying dividends to the sector.

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