Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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110. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the means by which she is helping to improve salary levels in the childcare sector given the importance of the sector to society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20797/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Pay is one of a number of issues impacting the early learning and care and school-age childcare workforce. The level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners does not reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy.

As the State is not the employer of staff in the sector, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector.

The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates for this workforce, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders. Outputs from the Joint Labour Committee process has seen two increases in minimum rates of pay for roles in the sector, positively impacting over 70% and 50% of the workforce respectively.

Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported through Core Funding which, in the programme year 2025/26 will be €350 million. In addition, there is €45 million (over a whole programme year) specifically ringfenced to support employers with additional costs arising from increases in new minimum pay rates, conditional on new Employment Regulation Orders being negotiated.

My Department continues to implement 'Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028'. Nurturing Skills aims to strengthen the ongoing process of professionalisation for those working in early learning and care and school-age childcare 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 reduce staff turnover, to attract graduates to enter and remain in the sector along with actions to actively promote careers in early learning and care and school-age childcare sector.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will provide an update regarding the before five childcare application and if a decision will be made by Pobal shortly in relation to funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20944/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, Pobal, Cork City Childcare Committee, Northside Community Enterprise and other stakeholders continue to work closely to deliver early learning and childcare service in the Churchfield site, formally occupied by Before 5.

My Department approved funding for the revival of this service in October 2024 and I am informed that work has commenced on the early stages of this project. While all stakeholders are keen to open this service, it is not currently possible to confirm an opening date at this stage. It is dependent on several factors such as public procurement requirements, availability of contractors and regulatory obligations.

With detailed project plans and funding in place, all stakeholders are committed to the completion of the project to provide high quality early learning and childcare to the community as soon as possible.