'Unless pay issues are addressed, early years settings in Cork will lose more staff'

Every child deserves the best start in life, yet staff shortages in Early Years and School Age Care settings across Cork result in children missing out on consistent relationships, stable routines, and high-quality care and education.

Unless urgent action is taken in Budget 2026, it is the children who will pay the price.

A child’s first classroom

The first educational experience children have is in an Early Years setting. It is there that some babies, toddlers and young children learn to make friends and gain essential numeracy and literacy through play, while also fostering their language development and social skills.

High-quality Early Years and School Age Care can make an extraordinary difference in children’s lives, laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), there is a wide range of benefits for children, including improved wellbeing and learning outcomes, more equitable child outcomes, and a reduction in child poverty.

Across Cork, thousands of children are at risk of missing out on these vital experiences as staff shortages limit access to these services.

Data from Pobal reveals that 68% of Early Years and School Age Care settings in Cork reported staff vacancies in the last 12 months.

Why educators in Cork are leaving

Despite record investment by the last government and progress on a number of fronts, staff turnover in Early Years and School Age Care settings is alarmingly high, with Pobal reporting a 28% turnover across Cork. Among those who moved jobs, 39% left the sector entirely.

The reason behind this exodus is clear: pay and working conditions of Early Years and School Age Care educators do not match the scope of their work or the value they should hold, and the impact they have on young children.

Despite being educated and trained to the same level as primary school teachers, many Early Years educators live on very low pay in comparison to their peers in primary education. This leads to educators feeling undervalued and burnt out, driving many talented educators out of the Early Years and School Age Care settings into other occupations, at a time when they are never more needed.

Under the current Employment Regulation Order (ERO), the minimum pay rate for Early Years educators stands at €13.65 an hour. Proposals to increase this to €15 are welcome, but it’s not enough.

Year after year, staff wait to learn what lies ahead, while key benefits such as annual increments, pensions, and maternity leave top-ups continue to remain out of reach for most.

Educators play an instrumental role in young children’s lives, and it is only fair that their pay and conditions reflect that.

Investing in the future of Cork children

Every child has a right to care and education, and this should start with Early Years. Investing in the system is central to protecting every child’s ability to access a place, as well as their academic and developmental outcomes.

The 2025 Early Childhood Ireland Barometer found that more than two-thirds (71%) of the public in Munster agree that the education of children under five is as important as the education of children over five. It is clear that the public places value on Early Years education, and it is time the government took action to show that they do too.

Despite strong support for these provisions, families in Cork are too familiar with the struggle to find a place for their child. This demand is further highlighted by figures from Pobal, which show that up to 3,947 children under the age of three are currently on crèche waiting lists across the county.

The data reveals that there are 652 children under the age of one on waiting lists and only 15 places available; 1,731 children aged one-two on waiting lists and 28 places available; and 1,564 children aged two to three on waiting lists and 309 places available to them.

Waiting lists like these would never be accepted in primary education, yet they remain a daily reality for younger children.

Budget 2026: a chance for long-lasting change

The upcoming Budget offers a critical opportunity for the government to elevate the system for good.

In our Budget 2026 submission, Early Childhood Ireland is calling for Early Years and School Age Care graduates to be brought under public sector pay and conditions, in line with primary school teachers.

This would be a first step in recognising the value of our Early Years and School Age Care educators and would align Ireland with other countries that recognise Early Years as a vital part of the wider education system.

Since its inception, the government has promised to gradually reduce fees and improve access to Early Years and School Age Care settings. Any plans to reduce fees and increase capacity will be ineffective for families unless the government can offer this vital level of security to staff and settings.

Unless new urgency is brought to the pay issues, settings in Cork will continue to lose their most qualified staff at unsustainable levels, and children will continue to miss out on essential education and care.

Naming a date for pay parity for this workforce would offer immediate reassurance and allow certainty to staff, providers and families in Cork. By investing in the Early Years workforce, Budget 2026 can be remembered as the moment Ireland finally guaranteed children the start in life they deserve.