Gino Kenny: Urges State-Led National Childcare Service
Gino Kenny spoke in a debate on childcare, welcoming a motion and commending Deputy Frunchen while welcoming elements of the minister's statement on meeting SIP2. He criticised the fragmented and costly childcare system, highlighted SIP2 COVID-19 survey findings on pay and staff losses, and called for a state-led national childcare service and increased public investment.
Survey findings
The SIP2 COVID-19 back-to-work survey was cited by Gino Kenny, who said that since the end of June 29% of workers indicated they are earning less than they did before the pandemic and 32% intend to leave the sector in the next 12 months.
Workforce and pay
He highlighted that most early-years professionals earn below the living wage of €12.40 per hour and that turnover has led to over 40% leaving full-day care services, describing workers as underpaid and undervalued.
Public demonstration and demands
Kenny recalled a large demonstration of childcare workers five months earlier, saying there were at least 15,000-20,000 people demanding better pay and changes to the early-years system that is not working for workers, parents or children.
Call for a state-led national childcare service
He urged a state-led childcare system rather than a fragmented, private-led sector, noting examples in Scandinavian countries. Kenny referenced an Irish Times article naming Iceland, Sweden and Norway and saying they spend over €4.5 billion each year on childcare, and cited an Oireachtas report recommendation that Ireland needs to spend €2 billion.
Next steps and campaign hopes
Gino Kenny welcomed elements of the minister's statement on meeting SIP2 and expressed hope this speech could be the start of a campaign for a national childcare service that benefits everyone and is not left to private operators.
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First of all, I'd like to welcome the motion. I'd like to commend Deputy Frunchen on her consistency in relation to this issue. It's a very, very good, structured motion. I'd like to welcome some elements of the Minister's statement. That's to be welcomed, Minister, in relation to meeting SIP2 and so forth. Good luck with that. Minister, it's not an exaggeration to say that the provision of childcare is extremely fragmented in Ireland, if it's not almost archaic, and that the very, very high costs and the workforce of educators who are underpaid, undervalued, and according to the latest SIP2 survey of workers in the childcare sector, going under and leaving the sector. Minister, the SIP2 COVID-19 back-to-work survey shows that since the end of June, 29% of the workers indicated that they are earning less than they did before the pandemic. Minister, 32% of the workers intend to leave the sector in the next 12 months, which is very, very alarming. Most early-year professionals earn below the living wage of €12.40 per hour. This has resulted in a turnover of over 40% leaving full day care services. Now, Minister, it was only five months ago where there was a huge demonstration of childcare workers. It seems like, it seems like years ago, but it happened five months ago where it was at least 15, 20,000 people on that demonstration. It was one of the best demonstrations I've been on a long, long time. And then workers were demanding a couple of simple things, but obviously paying conditions, but also the kind of the early sector educational system is isn't working for them. It isn't working for parents, and it isn't working for the children. And we can't be unambiguous about this. We need a state led childcare system, where in other countries where, you know, such as Scandinavian countries, where the best outcomes are state led. And that's fact, absolutely fact. There's a really good article in the Irish Times today, where it names three of the leading countries that have the best outcomes in relation to childcare. And they are Iceland, Sweden and Norway, and they spend over four and a half billion euros each year on childcare, each. And Ireland at the moment, if the Oireachtas report said, we need to spend two billion. So we need to do just through general taxation. So hopefully this is a campaign and the start of national childcare services that can benefit for everybody. Not fragmented, not fragmented, not fragmented, not left to private operators, but a national service that benefits everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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