Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
928. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to staffing concerns in a childcare centre (details supplied); the actions she will take to engage with management to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37686/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn setting regulatory requirements for early learning and care and school-age childcare services, the primary consideration must be children’s health, safety and well-being.
The minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services are set out in Schedule 6 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. The ratios set the maximum number of children allowed per staff member working directly with the children, and services can choose to have fewer children per staff member if they wish.
There are no plans at present to revise the minimum adult-to-child ratios for pre-school services.
The role 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.
It is acknowledged that those working in the early learning and care and school-age childcare sector do not receive the recognition they deserve.
In a very competitive labour market and with low levels of unemployment, recruitment and retention is a challenge for all employers.
The current Annual Early Years Sector Profile data shows that the number of educators/practitioners working with children in the sector has increased by over 8% between 2024 and 2025 and has increased by over 33% since 2022.
However, it is acknowledged that many early learning and childcare services report recruitment and retention issues. In general, these challenges are not caused by insufficient supply of staff, but by high levels of turnover mainly due to low pay and conditions.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions.
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.
Outcomes from the 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 early learning and care services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
I recently announced another allocation of up to €15m of ring-fenced funding from September 2026, which amounts up to €45m for the full programme year, to support service providers with costs associated with possible future increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
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.
A Sub-Group of the Early Learning and Childcare Stakeholder Forum was established to address recruitment and retention challenges. The group has advanced initiatives including:
• A Student Fast-track Process for recognition of studies to work in service out of term.
• The assessment of unfinished qualifications, where people who may have started a relevant qualification but did not get to finish it, can have what they completed assessed for meeting qualification requirements.
• An agreement to promote careers in the sector.
To further support staff retention, the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund enables educators who continue to work within the sector to pursue Level 7 and 8 qualifications by funding up to 90% of their tuition costs. Over 700 staff are now supported through the NSLF scheme.
The Nurturing Skills Learner Fund demonstrates how we are already delivering on our Programme for Government commitment to ‘remove barriers in education and training for early years educators to broaden access to the profession.
Complementing wider Departmental policies to streamline administration and regulation, to reduce stress and to support wellbeing in the sector, the Department is committed to roll out an employee assistance programme nationally in the near future.
The Department also funds 30 City/County Childcare Committees, which provide support and assist families and early learning and childcare providers. Additional support for queries relating to the registration of Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is available through the local City/County Childcare Committee.
Contact details for the City/County Childcare Committee may be found at:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/city-and-county-childcare-committees.
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Childcare Committee (DLRCCC) have had no communication from this service in relation to staffing issues. DLRCCC confirmed that to date, there has been minimal contact from this service in general; the CCC has provided support for core funding, program readiness etc. to this service however they have not flagged any issues with recruitment to DLRCCC at this time. DLRCCC have a jobs board available to advertise vacant roles on behalf of services.
