Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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75. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the recent acceptance of proposals for Employment Regulation Orders for the early years services sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44787/22]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I was very pleased to accept proposals for the Employment Regulation Orders submitted for the Early Years’ Services Sector.

The proposals are a result of lengthy and detailed negotiations before a Joint Labour Committee consisting of representatives from both the employee and employer side, and their commitment to improved workplace relations is to be acknowledged.

This recognition of the crucial work that our childcare providers and their employees do, a majority of whom are women, is of importance to our whole society .

These Orders will commence today, 15 September 2022, and apply to a number of grades within the sector and will provide improved pay and conditions for the large majority of people working in the sector, as follows:

- €13.00 for Early Years Educators/ School-Age Childcare practitioners;

- €14.00 for Early Years Lead Educators / School-Age Childcare co-ordinators;

- €15.50 Graduate Early Years Lead Educators / School-Age Childcare co-ordinators

- €15.70 for Deputy Managers;

- €16.50 for Managers; and

- €17.25 for Graduate Managers.

The Orders are being supported by the Government’s €221m Core Funding Scheme, which was announced as part of Budget 2022. The administration of this Fund falls within the remit of my colleague Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who has responsibility for the Sector.