Emer Higgins TD, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, has approved proposals for new Employment Regulation Orders (ERO’s) for the Early Years Services Sector. Effective from 24th June 2024, the ERO’s will increase the minimum hourly rates of pay for various roles within the sector. This will apply to approximately 33,000 educators and it is estimated that 53% of those working in the sector will receive a pay rise.
Increases are as follows:
- Early Years Educators and School Age Childcare (SAC) Practitioners €13.00 to €13.65
- Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators €14.00 to €14.70
- Graduate Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and Graduate School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators €15.50 to €16.28
- Deputy/Assistant Manager €15.70 to €16.49
- Centre Manager €16.50 to € 17.33
- Graduate Centre Manager €17.25 to €18.11
While these increases are welcome, pay in the sector remains relatively low. At Dublin Chamber’s recently held roundtable discussion on childcare, members emphasised the need for better pay for providers to address staffing issues and ensure the availability of high-quality childcare for working parents. Improving the conditions for those working in early learning and childcare is crucial for enhancing the sector’s profile and boosting attraction and retention rates. Additionally, it is a significant step towards addressing broader challenges faced by working parents due to the lack of appropriate and affordable childcare options.
For more information on the amended EROs for the Early Years Services Sector, please see here.