Early Childhood Ireland welcomes publication of the first Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for staff in the Early Years and School Age Care sector

“Historic moment must be met with continued government investment in this vital workforce” says CEO

Early Childhood Ireland, the leading organisation in the early years sector, has today (7.9.22) welcomed the announcement by government of the first Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for staff in the Early Years and School Age Care sector. The ERO marks the end of a process in which employer and union representatives worked together to agree a set of proposed minimum wage scales across a range of roles for some 27,000 professionals who are employed in settings across Ireland.

Noting this historic moment for the Early Years and School Age Care sector, Teresa Heeney, CEO of Early Childhood Ireland said that “this announcement means that the government’s proposed ‘Core Funding’ with a full-year value of €221 million can commence in the coming weeks, with the bulk of the funding going towards staff wages, which is right and proper.

“The reality is that owing to historic under-investment, the recruitment and retention of staff has been enormously difficult for early years settings in Ireland. The ERO is a first, very important, step by government to improve overall terms and conditions which will begin to address these challenges. However, the ERO must be followed by further funding in 2023 and beyond, so that these basic minimum scales can be increased. These professionals must receive appropriate compensation for the vital care and education they provide to more than 180,000 children.”

Ms. Heeney added that the Irish public already hugely supports the ‘invaluable’ workforce of this sector: “The Early Childhood Ireland Barometer, published in February, found that 73% of people believe that staff who work directly with children and are as qualified as other professionals such as nurses and teachers, should have terms and conditions which reflect this.

“The government must ensure that its commitment to have a graduate-led workforce by 2028 is achieved, so that every child benefits from high-quality experiences.  This can only be delivered if a career in Early Years and School Age Care and education is valued fully as a profession. Early Childhood Ireland welcomes today as a first step on this critical journey,’ concluded Ms Heeney.