Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, I commend my colleague, Deputy Funchion, on bringing forward this important motion. She and Sinn Féin have consistently called for immediate investment in the childcare sector in Ireland in order to ensure its viability, reduce the burden on parents, acknowledge and properly pay professionals within the childcare sector and to keep facilities open, as many are finding it hard to so do.

Childcare fees in Ireland are the highest in Europe and they continue to rise. While there was a commitment in the programme for Government last year, they have continued to rise since then. When that is coupled with the high cost of living, it is impossible for the ordinary working family to make ends meet. According to a UNICEF report from June gone by, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland have the least affordable childcare for the middle classes. Couples on an average wage pay between a third and a half of their wages for two children in childcare.

I can recall how, when my own two children were young and in a crèche, I was paying €300 a week at that time towards the cost of their care in order that I could go to work. Luckily, this was only for a few months because the way they were spaced meant my eldest could go into the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme, which was at that time only a one-year programme. Even with that scheme, the cost of sending the two children to be cared for in what was an excellent facility about which I had no complaints, was my biggest outgoing at the time. Fees have increased since then, along with the cost of everything else, but wages have not. This has to be addressed as otherwise, many people will have no choice but to give up their work and abandon pursuing career choices. We know that this will predominately affect women.

Within the sector itself, highly qualified professionals are being paid a pittance. Most professionals in this sector are earning less than a living wage and yet, many of them have level 7 or level 8 qualifications. They feel strongly that they not being treated right. They are not be treated with respect and they are not being acknowledged as educators. The turnover of staff is extremely high as the work is hard, it can be stressful and the pay is dreadful. It is not fair to the childcare professionals and nor is it fair to the children, who develop attachments to staff. There is a capacity issue in some sectors, which I have raised with the Minister previously. Childcare providers are now unable to cope with the demand because staff turnover is so high.

I also will highlight a fact that was brought to my attention, which is that there is no preschool in all of west Cavan that has autism spectrum disorder, ASD, facilities for children with additional needs. Cavan is a large county. This means people have to travel long distances to get the assistance that they need. It is good that Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte is present as well in order that I can raise the issue with her.

I support the motion.

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