Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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149. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures she will take to increase pay and improve conditions for workers in childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29194/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Pay is one of a number of challenges 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.

Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions for any staff in the sector. The Joint Labour Committee is the formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders, and is independent in its functions.

Pay and conditions are improving. Through the work of the Joint Labour Committee and successive Employment Regulation Orders, minimum pay rates have now risen three times in four years, delivering an average 15% increase in minimum rates of pay. This marks significant progress in professionalising the workforce.

The latest Employment Regulation Order’s came into effect in October 2025 which saw an increase in minimum pay rates of, on average, 10% and will increase pay for over 67% of staff in the sector.

Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. In this programme year 2025/26 Core Funding has increased by 6% to approximately €350 million with an additional €45 million in ring-fenced Core Funding provided to support services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.

In line with the Programme for Government commitment to continue to support Employment Regulation orders, I announced, as part of launch of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December, another allocation of up to €15 million of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45 million for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.

Consequently, over 2 years alone, the Department has made an allocation of €90 million available to support possible increased rates of pay.

A longer-term workforce strategy for the sector is in place: "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 the sector. One of the five "pillars" of Nurturing Skills comprises commitments aimed at supporting recruitment, retention and diversity in the workforce, and it includes actions to raise the profile of careers in the sector.

Complementing wider Departmental policies to streamline administration and regulation, to reduce stress and to support wellbeing in the sector, the Department is also committed to rolling out an employee assistance programme nationally in the near future.