Budget 2026, Early Years educators, children’s development

As the Dáil recently returned and Budget Day looms, staffing challenges continue to impact children’s access to Early Years and School Age Care places nationwide. To address this, Early Childhood Ireland is urging the government to guarantee public pay and conditions for graduates, in line with primary teachers who are educated to the same level.

The latest data from the Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile revealed that 63% of settings reported staff vacancies in the preceding 12 months at the time of the survey. Without significant investment in Budget 2026, talented educators will continue to leave in high numbers and settings will struggle to fill vacancies, ultimately impacting children’s experiences and their outcomes.

Losing talented professionals

Data from Pobal shows that among those educators who left their jobs, one in three (34%) left the sector entirely, and 22% emigrated. This is a clear warning sign that cannot be ignored, reflecting a system that isn’t valuing its educators.

Early Years and School Age Care professionals play a critical role in young children’s development, yet their pay and conditions paint a different picture. This is one of the main factors pushing educators to leave the sector.

As thousands of students have begun their Early Years degrees this month, the government must prioritise investment to ensure they will graduate into a better system where their pay and conditions reflect their instrumental role in young children’s lives.

Outcomes for children

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), good working conditions, fair pay and adequate training for Early Years and School Age Care staff are essential in guaranteeing high-quality care and education for young children.

Early Years education and care is the first step in a child’s educational journey before they transition to primary school. Educators lay the foundation for lifelong learning, and it is only fair that their pay and conditions reflect that.

Increased workforce investment would not only give educators deserved recognition but would be a vital first step in protecting children’s experiences and outcomes later in life. No child should miss out because of failures to properly invest in this workforce, yet this is happening to tens of thousands of children.

Read more about the importance of working conditions in Early Years and School Age Care in our recent Policy in Focus.

Budget 2026: An opportunity for long-lasting change

It is time for Ireland to start catching up with other countries and finally recognise Early Years as a vital part of the wider education system. Budget 2026 presents an opportunity for the government to deliver long-lasting change for children.

The Programme for Government promises to gradually reduce the cost of Early Years and School Age Care for families. However, it will be impossible to improve affordability and accessibility unless providers can recruit and retain qualified staff under appropriate terms and conditions, enabling them to expand capacity.

As a first step to elevating the system, Early Childhood Ireland is calling on the government to name a date to bring Early Years and School Age Care graduates under public sector pay and conditions, in line with teachers who are qualified and trained to the same level.

Find out more about Early Childhood Ireland’s Budget 2026 submission here. If you would like to get in touch, or have any queries about our work, please contact policy@earlychildhoodireland.ie