Pay is one of a number of challenges 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.
Although the Government is the primary funder of the sector, it is not the employer and cannot directly set wages or conditions for any 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, and is independent in its functions.
Pay and conditions are improving. Through the work of the JLC and successive ERO’s, minimum pay rates have now risen three times in four years, delivering an average 15% increase in minimum rates of pay. This marks significant progress in professionalising the workforce. The latest ERO came into effect in October 2025 which saw an increase in minimum pay rates of, on average, 10% and is estimated to have increased pay for over 67% of staff in the sector.
Outcomes from the Joint Labour Committee process are supported by Government through Core Funding. For programme year 2026/2027, which commenced on September 1st, Core Funding has increased by 23% to €480 million. Included in this is €45 million that has been ringfenced from September to support services in meeting the potential costs of increasing rates of pay, contingent upon new ERO’s being enacted following successful negotiations by the independent JLC.
The JLC has recently put forward new proposals for an increase to minimum rates of on average over 6% for Early Years Educators and School-Age Childcare Practitioners. It is estimated that 65% of the early learning and childcare workforce will benefit from this increase which represents a significant step toward ensuring fair pay for educators and practitioners working in the sector.
I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Independent Joint Labour Committee in these negotiations . If these proposals are implemented through updated Employment Regulation Orders, they will bring much-needed improvements in pay for these dedicated professionals, enhancing the quality of care and education provided to children across Ireland.
I am hopeful that these proposals will soon come into effect, marking a positive change for our dedicated and skilled staff in the early learning and childcare sector and the services that employ them.
It is estimated that a potential €865,000 each week would be available to issue to the sector to support with possible increases in cost where increased minimum rates in place through a new Employment Regulation Order. Currently there is no new Employment Regulation Orders in places and therefore no ringfenced funding can be released.
Under the annual Supply and Appropriation process, as set out by the Department of Public Expenditure, Departments may only incur expenditure for the purposes and amounts approved by Dáil Éireann. Any unspent current expenditure forms a surplus on the Vote and is liable for surrender to the Exchequer.
