Seanad debates

Wednesday, 17 May 2017

10:30 am

Photo of Paul GavanPaul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week there was an excellent presentation in the AV room by early years educators from Dublin, Cork and the rest of the country. It was well attended and it was disappointing to note that the only party not to send anyone was Fine Gael. Early years educators are in crisis and precarious work dominates, with temporary short-term contracts and rates of pay barely above or at the minimum wage. It is shocking for a country that prides itself on investing in education that our investment in early childhood education is the lowest in Europe and half the level of investment in the UK. One knows one is in trouble when one invests half of what the Tories invest. A very good campaign is being run by SIPTU, my union, for a sectoral employment order to set pay and conditions for the sector, improving both pay and standards. We need to debate that. Everybody in this Chamber should recognise that investment in early years education has not been made and we should make it a priority.

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