Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for accepting this Commencement matter on the terms and conditions of employment for childcare workers. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to reply to this Commencement matter. I appreciate that it is within his brief and I hope he will have something substantial to tell us on the matter.

Many of us who work in these Houses would not be here without having childcare workers looking after our children. Schools, hospitals, local authority offices and the Garda could not function without having effective childcare. The conditions for the professionals in the childcare sector must be improved. I use the word "professional" very intentionally. These people are educated, many to degree level. They are experienced and are operating in a much more regulated and professional environment than ever before. It is about time this reality was recognised and pay and conditions were improved. We all know the pivotal service that childcare professionals provide to parents, families and our wider society. Without their hard work and dedication, our economy and society simply would not function.

The latest childcare study from SIPTU has concluded that low pay is driving workers out of the industry. The annual early years professionals survey for 2021-22 found that 41% of personnel were seeking roles outside the sector, a factor which SIPTU has said is “undermining the sustainability and quality of services for children”. According to the same report, 94% of managers found it difficult or very difficult to recruit staff in the past 12 months. There is a clear and distinct issue here. The majority of early childhood professionals I speak to in south Kildare see no future for themselves in the industry. They fear for their long-term financial security. Most of them who love their job and want to remain in the industry simply cannot afford to do so.Something must be done to retain the talent and experience in the childcare industry.

I acknowledge and commend the significant funding provided in budget 2022 to tackle these issues. That is most welcome, but it is my strong view that the rate of pay must reflect the value of these staff to society. The most recent available data indicate that the average wage in the sector in 2021 was just €12.60 per hour, which is below the living wage. I appreciate that this is a somewhat complex issue to tackle, because the State is not the direct employer. The joint labour committee, JLC, has been ongoing since December 2021, and I understand it is examining a wide array of issues facing the sector, with the ultimate aim of providing an employment regulation order, ERO, to improve standards, pay and conditions within the industry.

In December 2021, Nurturing Skills, the workforce plan for early learning and care and school-age childcare was launched. It included commitments to deliver career pathways, promote careers in the sector, and strengthen supports for continuing professional development. We need to see real and meaningful progress on these goals. Staff, managers and many parents simply cannot wait. Will the Minister of State please provide an update and an overview of the progress made by the Government on the working conditions in the sector? When can staff and operators expect to get certainty about the future of the sector? When can we expect to see workers being paid the wage they and their families deserve?