Sir, – The current issues in early childhood education and care are not new, but the debate has been gathering momentum for many years. Ireland’s investment in this sector is just 0.2 per cent of GDP and falls far short of the European average of 0.8 per cent. Each year, hundreds of highly educated graduates leave colleges, universities, and institutes of technology, having spent three to four years undertaking a degree in early childhood education and care. The unfortunate reality is that these graduates cannot afford to work in the sector for which they are trained, and many of them seek better-paid positions elsewhere. The low salaries that once again have been validated by the most recent Early Childhood Ireland survey, and the large number of staff that are forced to sign on the live register during the summer months, make it more and more difficult for employers to attract and retain quality staff. The real losers are the children who deserve the best possible staff to care for and educate them in their formative years. Urgent action is vital to avert what is fast becoming a childcare crisis. – Yours, etc,
Dr MARY MOLONEY,
Chairwoman,
Plé – National Association
of Third-Level Institutions
Offering Degree-Level
Training in Early Childhood
Education and Care,
Newport,
Co Tipperary.