Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
932. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any initiatives that seek to increase the number of people working in the childcare sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37690/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
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 while the national average turnover rate has fallen by 1.3% to 24.5% in 2025.
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 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 early learning and care services in meeting the increased cost of minimum pay rates in the sector.
I recently announced, as part of launch of Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan in December, 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 increases in minimum rates of pay negotiated via the independent Joint Labour Committee process.
Consequently, over 2 years, 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.
In December 2023, 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.
A communications campaign is currently under development and will include a series of videos aimed at promoting careers in the Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) sector.
In addition, a careers information pack is being developed to support promotion of the sector. The pack will be provided to career guidance counsellors and other key bodies who support individuals in making education and employment decisions, with the aim of raising awareness of career opportunities and pathways within ELC and SAC.
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 Nurturing Stills Learner Fund.
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.
Currently there is an existing dedicated Early Learning and Care 'Earn and Learn' Programme in place under the Community Employment scheme, operated by the Department of Social Protection. It aims to help people who want a career in early learning and care by providing real work experience while attaining the minimum Level 5 qualification in Early Learning and Care.
This scheme enhances the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing community-based work experience and training opportunities. In addition, Community Employment supports long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return-to-work routine.
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.
