Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Kathleen Funchion TD, has said SIPTU’s recently released review ‘Reward and Recognition: An International Comparative Analysis of Pre-Primary Wages’, shows that not only are early years professionals some of the lowest paid workers in Ireland but they are also at the bottom of the table when compared to their international counterparts.

Teachta Funchion said: “It is disappointing to again see another report that highlights the disgraceful pay of those working in the childcare sector.

“Sinn Féin have long advocated for fairer wages for those working in childcare. Childcare in Ireland is completely broken. It is unsustainable for staff and financially crippling for parents and providers.

“I, along with those working in the sector, was astounded by this Government’s lack of commitment to the sector when not one extra cent was provided in the budget for childcare.

“As part of Sinn Fein’s alternative budget, I called for a complete overhaul of the childcare sector, starting with the introduction of fairer wages for those working in the sector. Commencing with the introduction of the living wage and an immediate pay increase to €12.30 by investing €30 million.

“We have woefully underfunded our childcare sector for decades and we now have a system that fails everyone, but most of all we have allowed a system that sees well educated early years professionals on half the average pay of their counterparts in similar EU countries. This needs to change.”