Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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494. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has read a report (details supplied), specifically as it relates to pay for early years' educators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19604/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am aware of the recent publication of the results of SIPTU's Early Years Staffing Survey. Many of the issues highlighted in the survey, in particular the level of pay among those working in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) and the impact that has on staff recruitment and retention, are issues which I have been actively seeking to address.

I am very conscious of the need for improvement in pay and working conditions for early years educators and SAC practitioners. The level of pay they receive does not reflect the value of the work they do for children, for families and for the wider society and economy. It also contributes to challenges of recruitment and retention of staff, which are key to the consistency of care provided to children.

The State is not the employer and therefore does not set the pay and conditions for employees in either ELC or SAC services. However, there is now, through the Joint Labour Committee process, a formal mechanism established by which employer and employee representatives can negotiate minimum pay rates for ELC and SAC services.

Two Employment Regulation Orders for Early Years Services came into effect on 15 September 2022 which provide for minimum hourly rates of pay for various roles in ELC and SAC services. It is estimated that the EROs resulted in improved pay for over 70% of workers in the sector, with specific recognition for different roles and qualifications, thus establishing a career framework and wage structure for staff.

In parallel, the Government introduced Core Funding for ELC and SAC services, which has an allocation of €259 million in its first year (2022/23), to support improvements in staff wages, as well as to freeze parental fees and support sustainability of services.

In addition to this, as announced in Budget 2023, the Core Funding allocation will increase by €28 million in year 2 of this scheme and I have signalled that €4 million of that allocation will support the removal of the "3-year experience" rule for graduate premiums, subject to the amendment of the current ERO. The allocation of the remaining €24 million will be informed by the emerging data from the first year of funding.

Also, in December 2021, I published "Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028". This Plan includes specific actions for moving to a graduate-led workforce by 2028, establishing a career framework for staff working in the ELC and SAC sector, including role profiles, qualifications requirements and the strengthening of career pathways. Nurturing Skills also includes actions to support the recruitment and retention of staff with the necessary qualifications, and ongoing staff training and development, to create a workforce which feels valued and is motivated to deliver the best possible service to children.