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

The ERO is the only game in town. It is the one mechanism available under the existing industrial relations mechanism that will ensure our fantastic childcare professionals receive the substantial additional funding the Government announced in the budget last year through better pay. The only way to guarantee that is through an ERO. No one in the sector, from either the employer or employee sides, has been able to suggest a better mechanism. My focus is on providing the money. The Government has provided the money and it is now up to the various partners to bring about those agreements on the various rates.

It is important to state that to support the workforce, we have to do more than set rates of pay. There have to be clear pathways and progression frameworks. That is why we have the workforce development plan, Nurturing Skills, which sets out additional supports and continued professional development, along with funding for that, in order that we can continue to allow childcare professionals who are on the initial entry rate to advance further in their careers.

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