Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 October 2025
163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures which will be taken to ensure pay parity for those providing childcare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52458/25]
View answerPay 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.
It is my intention to deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to ‘continue to implement Employment Regulation Orders to attract and retain early years educators.’
As the State is not the employer of staff in the sector, neither I nor the 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, which are set down in Employment Regulation Orders.
I acknowledge the Joint Labour Committee is independent in its functions, and I do not have a role in its statutory negotiation processes. However, outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding, which in the programme year 2025/26 will increase by 6% to €350 million. An additional €45 million has been ringfenced to support employers to meet the costs of further increases to the minimum rates of pay and is contingent on updated Employment Regulation Orders.
Through the Joint Labour Committee process, Employment Regulation Orders have been signed into law in September 2022 and June 2024 to progressively increase average wage rates in the sector for staff at different grades by approximately 13%.
I have been informed that the Joint Labour Committee has, after public consultation, unanimously agreed on proposed new minimum rates of pay for the sector and has submitted these proposals to the Labour Court. If adopted by the Labour Court, these proposals will be laid before the Minister of State for the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment for consideration, as provided for under the Industrial Relations Act 1946.
If adopted and established as Employment Regulation Orders, these proposals are another welcome step in the process of improving pay in the sector and may see minimum hourly rates of pay for graduate lead educators increase to €17.50.
The improvement of pay and conditions is a key enabler for the implementation of ‘Nurturing Skills: The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare 2022 – 2028’, which sets out a strategic framework for professional development, career progression, and workforce sustainability for the sector.
