Pay increases in childcare a welcome first step in transforming Early Years Services in Ireland

More than two in three childcare workers will receive a pay increase this month as the government have set the first ever minimum rates of pay in the sector.

With the signing of an Employment Regulation Order (ERO), an estimated 73% of Early Years workers will receive a pay increase, with half of workers receiving a 10% increase in pay.

Some 20% of childcare workers are expected to see a rise in wages of 20%.

The increases are supported through the Government’s €221m Core Funding Scheme.

Green Party Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman, said;

“I have always said that I believe childcare staff need their pay and conditions to reflect the importance of the work they do. Today’s announcement is an historic first step towards that.

“Since I became Minister, my three objectives in childcare have been to increase pay for staff, reduce childcare costs for parents, and improve sustainability for providers. In signing these EROs today, we achieve the first of these goals. Addressing pay and conditions will help to ensure that childcare professionals can see a future for themselves in a job I know so many of them cherish.”

These pay increases and the signing of the EROs come ahead of the full launch of the Government’s Core Funding scheme. This will see funding to support improvements in staff wages, alongside a commitment to freeze parental fees.

Green Party Spokesperson for Enterprise and Employment, Róisín Garvey, said;

“This is a very welcome move. Delivering better pay for childcare workers while cutting the costs for parents have been long-standing objectives of the Green Party. We all know how essential it is to support those working in the caring economy. We need to give our children the best start and to do that we need to help those working in the sector with pay that reflects the importance of that work. This is a move in the right direction.

“This new scheme will provide a solid foundation for the development of a really thriving Early Years sector.” 

The Orders will commence on 15 September 2022, providing new minimum hourly rates as follows:

• €13 for Early Years Educators/School-Age Childcare practitioners
• €14 for Early Years Lead Educators /School-Age Childcare co-ordinators
• €15.50 Graduate Early Years Lead Educators /School-Age Childcare co-ordinators
• €15.70 for Deputy Managers
• €16.50 for Managers
• €17.25 for Graduate Managers