Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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345. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has any initiatives planned to address the staffing crisis in the childcare sector resulting in widespread temporary and permanent closure of facilities, including any plans to streamline credential verification processes for Irish applicants or incentives to non-EU applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26950/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I acknowledge that many early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services report staffing challenges in relation to recruitment and retention. In general, staffing pressures in the sector are caused not by insufficient supply of qualified personnel, but by high levels of staff turnover. Pay levels are one of a number of issues impacting staffing levels.Providers of ELC and SAC are private businesses. As the State does not employ staff in ELC and SAC services, neither I, nor my Department, can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sectHowever, there is now, through the independent Joint Labour Committee (JLC) process, a formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate terms and conditions of employment including minimum pay rates for different roles in ELC and SAC services. This process provided new EROs which came into effect this week providing for a further 5% increase in minimum rates for all grades and the removal of 3 years experience requirement for graduate minimum pay rates all of which will see 53% of the workforce improve their pay.In line with commitments in First 5, in December 2021, I launched Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC), 2022-2028. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in ELC and SAC and to raise the profile of careers in the sector. It includes a career framework and commitments to support early years educators to upskill and develop their careers. It also includes commitments to strengthen continuing professional development for staff working in the sector.For those seeking to enter the workforce and work with children the must comply with the minimum qualification requirement as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2016. To aid this process my Department has published a list of qualifications that meet both regulatory and funding requirements for working in ELC services. Anyone with a qualification on the list is automatically approved and does not need an individual statement from my Department. They can commence working in ELC subject to other employer checks such as Garda vetting. With regard to non EU applicants, the State’s general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of Ireland, the European Union and other EEA states. The Department Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) manages both the Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible Occupations List. Data currently suggests there are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified people in Ireland and the EU to meet the demand for staff in the ELC and SAC sector however my officials continue to monitor the relevant indicators and engage bilaterally with the DETE on the matter.Whilst some services have made the decision to operate temporary closures, e.g. closing a particular room for a period of time, as a way of addressing staffing challenges, the Tusla register of ELC and SAC services points to some positive trends. To date in 2024, there has been a net increase of 7 in the number of ELC services. 19 new ELC services registered with Tusla in January to May 2024, compared to 12 ELC service closures in the same period. There has also been a net increase of 24 standalone SAC services.2023 saw a five-year low in the number of net ELC service closures. Including standalone SAC services as well, in 2023 there was a net increase in the overall number of Tusla-registered services of 129.