Committee Stage of the Childcare Support Bill 2017
March 13, 2018
On Tuesday 27th February, our Policy Officer Amy McArdle attended at the Committee Stage of the Childcare Support Bill 2017. You will recall that the Bill is before the Dáil, where it is common practice for the Committee Stage consideration to be taken by Select Committee, in this case the Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs.
Latest EU Social Justice Index Ranking
November 16, 2017
The latest EU Social Justice Index ranks Ireland lowest in the EU for investment in pre-primary education and underlines the need for substantially increased investment in early years education.
Call for Evidence to Inform an Independent Review of the Cost of Providing Quality Childcare
November 7, 2017
DCYA today announced the first part of the Independent Review of the cost of providing quality childcare: a call for evidence, which will inform subsequent stages of the Independent Review. Following this initial piece of evidence gathering, Crowe Horwath will engage with childcare providers in the form of a survey, interviews, focus groups, and consultation with sector representative bodies and other stakeholders.
An Uncomfortable Truth: The risk of poverty working in Early Childhood Care and Education
October 24, 2017
Tuesday 17th October marked International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2017. Each year, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection supports small initiatives to promote awareness of the Day and issues of poverty and social exclusion. This year the Department funded Early Childhood Ireland (ECI) to produce three videos capturing the impact of poor pay and conditions in the early childhood care and education (ECE) sector on the lives of early years educators.
Support Point Update 17th Oct 2017
October 17, 2017
This week we have our second installment of the HR Webinar Series, information on risk assessments, and we look at the changes made to the ECCE Scheme in Budget 2018.
Response to ACP Walkout
October 17, 2017
Early Childhood Ireland has received queries from members about the ‘Walk out’ action which is due to take place on 27 October. Early Childhood Ireland is extremely concerned about the poor pay and conditions of Early Years Educators, which is allied to the chronic underfunding of the early childhood care and education sector.
Budget 2018 investment in early years is ‘significantly less’ than levels needed
October 10, 2017
Last year, Minister Zappone managed to secure significant funding for the early years sector, but it is essential that this level of investment is sustained for the foreseeable future.
Who wants what for childcare in Budget 2018?
October 10, 2017
Today, Tuesday 10th October 2017, Budget 2018 is being announced by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD. ECI is outside Leinster House recording the announcements as they are made, giving our reaction on the ‘childcare measures’ to the media, and preparing an analysis of the Budget for our members, which you can read in next week’s Early Times Weekly.
ECI members make powerful representations to politicians at Oireachtas briefing
October 9, 2017
