Growing frustration over failure to tackle low pay in childcare sector – Mitchell
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Denise Mitchell, has said there is a growing frustration amongst workers over the failure of Government to address the issue of low pay in the childcare sector.
Speaking ahead of a day of action planned by some childcare workers on Friday afternoon, Deputy Mitchell said:
“Childcare workers’ wages quite simply do not reflect the valuable and skilled work they do. Many highly-skilled workers simply do not see any long-term career prospects in the sector. This is very worrying.
“Successive Governments have completely failed to make any meaningful investment in the childcare sector - and this has resulted in low pay for workers and high fees for parents. Meanwhile most providers are operating on a breakeven basis and simply cannot afford to increase staff wages.
“This cannot be allowed to continue. That workers in such an important role are only on an average of €10.27 per-hour - well short of the Living Wage of €11.70 - is totally unacceptable. We need urgent action from Government on this issue.”
