Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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284. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will recognise the ongoing work and dedication of educators in the early years by listening to their advocacy campaign and providing professional status for the early years sector; and if not, the reason therefor. [43610/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I acknowledge that those working in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector do not receive the recognition they deserve. The roles of the early years educator and school-age childcare practitioner are valuable ones and they play an important part in supporting children's development, learning and care.

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.

Consultation with the sector, through the various representative organisations and directly with Educators and Practitioners, was an important element in the development of strategies such as Nurturing Skills and Equal Start. My Department continues to engage with the workforce on workforce specific matters through the Early Learning and Care Stakeholder Forum and the its dedicated sub-groups.

I firmly believe the level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners should reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy.

As the State does not employ staff in ELC and SAC services, neither I nor my Department set wage levels or determine working conditions for staff in the sector. However, 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.

Outputs from the JLC process has seen two increases in minimum rates of pay for roles in the sector and positively impacting over 70% and 50% of the workforce respectively. Outcomes from the JLC process are supported by the Government through the Core Funding scheme, which has an allocation for this programme year alone of €331 million and in budget 2025 I secured an additional €15m euro specifically ring-fenced to support services meet the costs of future JLC negotiated minimum rate increases. This funding is conditional on new EROs being coming in to effect.

Complementing wider Departmental policies to improve pay and working conditions, and to streamline administration and regulation, earlier this year I launched Equal Start, which includes a commitment to roll out well-being supports for educators and practitioners and supports for early learning and childcare settings to enable more supportive working environments to be created for staff.