Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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412. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason no backdated payment is permitted between the time a childcare worker can prove completion of level 7 or level 8 qualification and the time that person graduates from the third level institution. [60941/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Under a Core Funding service agreement for programme year 2022/2023, in order for a service to be allocated an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Graduate Premium, the person in question must be a Lead Educator in an ELC room and/or the Manager of an ELC or a combined ELC and School Age Childcare (SAC) service and must hold an appropriate qualification (QQI Level 7 or higher) as per the Department’s Higher Capitation Qualifications list. They must also have a minimum of three years’ experience in the sector. The same assessment and validation process for qualifications is in place under Core Funding as operated last year under ECCE Higher Capitation.  

The ELC Graduate Premium for the Lead Educator calculation is based on the hours the room is led by the graduate. The service must submit evidence of the Lead Educator's qualifications for them to qualify for the Graduate Manager premium. Once this documentation is appraised and approved by Pobal, the funding allocation is applicable from the date of the Application Change Submission Date or the Change Effective Date, whichever is the earliest date. The premium is awarded once an eligible staff member is assigned to a session within an operational room and the associated application change being approved by Pobal.

In Year 2 of the Core Funding, I intend to remove the requirement of three years’ experience for graduate premiums and plan to support this change with approximately €4 million, on condition of an Employment Regulation Order reflecting this change for both Graduate Lead Educator and Graduate Managers roles. Many representatives in the sector advocated for this development and welcomed this change when I announced it as part of Budget 2023 for Core Funding in Year 2. 

Further information in relation to Core funding can be located here: first5fundingmodel.gov.ie/core-funding/.