Nursery World - How Ireland is leading the way on early years pay and workforce

Reforms to Ireland’s early education system have recently led to increased pay and a greater number of childcare places. How did they do it? By Eva Lloyd, emeritus professor of early childhood, University of East London

Setting closures are at their lowest level in five years in Ireland PHOTO Adobe Stock

For a country with 5.3 million inhabitants, of which some 350,000 are birth to four year olds, Ireland has recently been punching above its weight in terms of its early education system.

While headlines in the UK have been about underfunding, lack of staff and fears that the expansion in places will not materialise as a result, Ireland’s childcare system has been focused on improving the status and conditions of early years workers.

The introduction of a new funding model in 2022/23 has seen improved pay for 71 per cent of early years practitioners, an increase in the number of childcare places available, especially for under-threes, and a greater number of graduates working in the sector.

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