The ongoing issues facing Early Years and School Age Care settings in Wexford can only be addressed with long-term planning and higher investment, according to Early Childhood Ireland.
Ahead of the Dáil reopening tomorrow, the leading sector organisation is calling for a new investment target for Early Years and School Age Care with a five-year plan, to guarantee that it is achieved.
Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, said, “Budget 2025 is the last chance for this government to deliver for the estimated 6,846 children who attend settings in Wexford and make a lasting difference for future generations too.”
“The current government can rightly claim that it has already doubled investment in Early Years and School Age Care, but as Ireland remains at the bottom of the international funding table, much more needs to be done, starting with a new financial target,” Ms Byrne added.
Ireland far behind other rich countries
According to the latest OECD report, Ireland ranks among the lowest in government funding for Early Years. The Education at a Glance report, published last week, highlights Ireland’s allocation of just 0.1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Early Years—a stark contrast to countries like Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, where over 1.5% of GDP is dedicated to this critical area.
“It’s clear that Ireland has a long way to go if we want to guarantee access to high-quality Early Years provision which is easily available to children and their families in other wealthy countries,” said Ms Byrne.
A five-year plan
Ms Byrne said, “There is broad political support for higher investment in Early Years and School Age Care. Now is the time for the government to propose a plan bridging the forthcoming Budget and the following years, outlining the level of funding which will be made available each year, and the yearly priorities.”
“The Taoiseach recently announced that his Party will deliver an action plan for Early Years in Ireland. While we welcome this commitment, this plan must be long-term and inclusive of all young children from birth. It needs to look at the system as a whole, including Family Leave, capacity planning and staffing,” Ms Byrne continued.
Early Childhood Ireland proposes a five-year plan and believes that the first year should focus on improving terms and conditions for the 30,000 staff who work in 4,483 Early Years and School Age Care settings in Ireland.
“Staff recruitment and retention is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges our 134 member settings in Wexford are currently grappling with,” Ms Byrne said.
Thousands of children on waiting lists
According to the latest Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile, a significant number of children under the age of three are on waiting lists for an Early Years service in Wexford.
The organisation urges the government to implement a national and local planning system with two-year and five-year cycles to ensure we have enough places for children in every community.
“Parents shouldn’t have to put their child’s name down for a crèche before they’ve even arrived in the world. We have the data on how many children are born each year, and it’s time for the government to act and set up a proper system to meet their needs and rights,” she said.
A visionary government for children
Ahead of Budget 2025, Early Childhood Ireland has set out ‘4 Asks for Children’ calling for a sustained and sustainable workforce, improved capacity planning, a five-year plan with a new investment target, and increased Family Leave.
“There is also a final and urgent ask which is for high-level, visible and persistent political leadership. Ireland needs a visionary government that will set out what the first five years of children’s lives should look like and lead the way in achieving it,” Ms Byrne concluded.
