Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman acknowledged that early years educators continue to feel 'undervalued' despite the sector’s 'commitment to children and young people'. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
He noted the pandemic had “shone a light” on the contribution of childcare workers and the fact that society cannot function without affordable and high-quality childcare.Louise Nealon: ‘There is a reason why the vast majority of readers are women. We tell ourselves stories to survive’Simon Harris: The five career moves that led him to the taoiseach’s office
With most early years educators set to earn €13.65 per hour, and lead educators €14.70 per hour, under the proposed 5 per cent pay increase, workers in this sector will still earn less than the Irish living wage of €14.80 per hour, said Gráinne McKenna, assistant professor from DCU’s institute of education.
State investment must be “ring-fenced” to ensure workers receive pay increases rather than funds being spent on overheads and ending up in the pockets corporate childcare service providers, said Ms McKenna. She added that the increased presence of private equity firms and venture capital groups within the early childcare sector was “extremely alarming and demands political and policy attention”.