Nessa Cosgrove
Labour Panel · Labour Party · Ireland
“The Minister of State recognised that there was a grassroots movement and the documentary "Groundswell" captured it. There is also the documentary "Gasland", which was made in America and came out in 2010. We know it is going to come from America. Again, this is the Trojan horse.”
“The amendment defines "fracked gas", which does not appear anywhere in the Bill. This, with amendment No. 13, would make clear that the importation of fracked gas would not be possible under the Bill. LNG particularly when sourced in the US, is usually derived from fracking.”
“I move amendment No. 3: In page 8, after line 39, to insert the following: " "hydraulically fractured gas" means liquefied natural gas, or natural gas in any other form, that has been produced, in whole or in part, by means of hydraulic fracturing within the meaning of section 5A of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960;".…”
“I am sorry but I just do not buy the argument that it is security. A floating LNG storage facility in Qatar was blown up. It is actually more of a risk to our security to have a floating LNG terminal. This whole thing is mad.”
“All of us were probably at the IFA briefing yesterday. When they gave us the briefing document I saw that it was exactly the same as the one last year and I wondered whether it had got anything it looked for. I was told not really, apart perhaps with regard to areas of natural constraint.”
“Historians, no doubt, are going to refer to this legislation in that way, because the reserve is not going to be used solely for emergencies. We are trying to define what an emergency is. There is no definition. Seven years ago, we led the way in the international community by committing to phase out oil and gas exploration.”
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“Recent weeks have sadly seen a disappointing rise in reckless commentary from politicians of various parties on the issue of migration. This motion tonight gives us the opportunity to discuss and debate the reality rather than the dog whistles. It gives us the opportunity to acknowledge that migrants to and from Ireland have contributed significantly to their new homes. We have been able to provide a place of safety to thousands of people fleeing war, persecution and oppression because it is our duty and it is the right thing to do. Of course, we condemn the recent arson attacks and all violence, especially that motivated by animosity to difference or to the other.”
“We could make availing of section 481 tax relief conditional on offering quality employment and workers rights should be upheld. That should be one of the conditions. We in the Labour Party have repeatedly called for this and I hope the Minister of State will take it on board and commit to ensuring this. The State could take a stronger role in ensuring good work practices. While I am standing up, I want to give a shout-out to some of the wonderful film festivals in my area. There is a wonderful film festival, Adaptation, in Manorhamilton in Leitrim and also a new film festival that just started in Strandhill. Long may they last.”
“Section 481 tax relief has been a vital pillar of our internationally successful film industry but it should be further reviewed to make sure it is internationally competitive. With far too many musicians struggling amid the rising of streaming, it is time to ask if a section 481 or similar support might be extended to musicians. We should also be clear that our film industry must be a place that offers secure and safe employment for our talented creators and that those of all ages involved in the creative industry are attracted into the sector. Too often, this has been an industry where unfair work practices have seen workers exploited or made feel unsafe. We must bring the pay and terms and conditions of performers and crew up to the standards that are in place in our peer countries.”
“Other Senators have spoken about increased investment through Screen Ireland to ensure the continued production of high-quality indigenous films mar an scannán iontach “An Cailín Ciúin” agus “Kneecap” freisin. Táimid all an-bhródúil as an dá scannán seo. There are TV shows and documentaries, too. As one of my colleagues said, we punch way above our weight in directors, actors and producers within the film sector and long may that last. If this Bill were to be delayed, it is likely that the vital funding provided by Screen Ireland would also be delayed. That is why we are very happy to support this. However, we must also take the opportunity to recognise where our domestic film production landscape might be improved. I hope the Minister of State will take that on board today.”
“I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this today. The success of the Irish film industry over recent decades is something we in the Labour Party are very proud of. It was mentioned earlier how our very own Michael D. Higgins was the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht who re-established the Irish Film Board in 1993 and had the foresight and vision to put in place the building blocks of our successful film industry with tax incentives, training initiatives and other measures. Those State supports at the time played a vital role in establishing Ireland as a leading international filming destination. That Labour vision transformed the Irish film industry and it is a very proud legacy of our party. We welcome this short Bill, which raises the limit on the supports that may be provided by Screen Ireland to productions.”
“Until the data centre sector identifies and provides adequate supplies of renewable energy electricity to power itself, we should not be encouraging further development of data centres. We should not be funding them or the polluting fossil fuel infrastructure it requires, so I am happy to support the amendments raised by Senators Collins and Higgins.”
“We cannot allow the insatiable appetites of data centres to lead us down a path towards LNG. We know LNG is a gas that is rich in methane, which is 80 times more warming than carbon dioxide. We cannot be moving towards any other fossil fuel infrastructure that will do nothing for ordinary consumers and put us even further away from meeting our climate commitments. I find it baffling. Let us be clear that we do not need any more data centres. As both Senators here have said we need more hospitals, Garda stations, water safety, wastewater treatment plants and homes and we definitely need to meet our legally binding climate targets, which we will not be on course to do if we keep heading down towards this road.”
“The sector is concerned about the grid capacity and the number of panel discussions and presentations due to take place tomorrow about the grid and its inability to supply the needs of the sector is noteworthy. Over the last 12 months, we have seen how fragile our electricity supply is. Living in the north west, I know this more than many. To keep adding more and more to the load will not only make matters worse. Providing power separate from the grid - perhaps a dedicated off-grid generation unit for each data centre - may be a solution and is certainly a solution that many data centres seem to be pursuing but that puts into sharp relief the link Senator Higgins’s amendments Nos 3 to 6 have drawn between data centres and the fossil fuel industry and fossil fuel infrastructure.”
“I understand the presence of so many tech firms in Dublin means there is a logic to the housing of data centres in Ireland and that our cool climate seems to offer the perfect environment for data centres but their very presence is putting that very climate and environment at risk. Data centres are dependent upon huge amounts of electricity - we know this. As Senator Higgins said, they are already using all the additional green energy we have generated over recent years, meaning that we have made no progress at all in our climate goals on energy use. By pure chance, the DataCentres Ireland conference starts tomorrow here in Dublin. A quick glance at the programme shows that the industry is fully aware of the challenges that face it and the impact its demand will place upon the grid.”
“However, we know that data centres currently consume almost one quarter of Ireland’s electricity and that is predicted to rise towards one third in coming years. No matter how we look at it, that is not sustainable. If we do not start putting more rigorous controls in place around the construction and fuelling of often billionaire-owned data centres, we as a country are sending a very clear signal to the world and to extractive industries that we have basically abandoned our climate targets and we are open to any kind of business. The effective moratorium on new data centres in the Dublin region, which has been in place since 2021, needs to be extended nationwide.”
“I do not oppose any investment in the ESB infrastructure - it is very welcome - but what I am concerned about, and what I do oppose, is where this investment will go and what the money is to be spent on. I will speak in support of the amendments tabled by both Senators Collins and Higgins. All their amendments are really well thought out. They make a lot of sense and they have put a lot of work into them. I really hope the Minister of State listens to these amendments because there is a very palpable feeling in the House and the country that data centres are taking more than their fair share of the energy available and are putting the stability of the grid at risk while offering very little in terms of direct employment or other benefits. There is a broad range of opinions in this and, in fairness, they should all be listened to.”
“Loughrea has a population of over 6,000 but has no publicly owned swimming pool and the nearest pool is 25 km away. My area, the north west, has a wonderful elite Olympic swimmer, Mona McSharry. She and her team had to train in a 25 m pool, and is in competition against those who train in 50 m pools. People living in Sligo, Donegal and 21 other counties have no access to a 50 m pool. There are three in Dublin and one in Limerick, but it is high time a 50 m pool was constructed in the north west. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport has indicated that the large-scale sports infrastructure fund need to accessed to provide new publicly owned pools. I urge the Minister of State to consider the hard-working people on the ground who are campaigning for a 50 m pool in the north west and a 25 m pool in Loughrea.”
“The National Swimming Strategy 2024-27 tells us that swimming as a sport and pastime has increased in popularity. We know the best time for anyone to learn to swim is when they are young and swimming lessons are crucial. Many groups dealing with those with physical and intellectual disabilities and older people know they can experience joy and relief from swimming in a pool. It is a life skill that is promoted. However, people can only enjoy the benefits of swimming and all that is associated with it when they have access to pools. The national swimming strategy acknowledges that the existing stock of public pools around the country is insufficient, and this is certainly the case in Loughrea, County Galway, something Senator Curley has raised many times.”
“I express my sympathies on the tragic loss of the five friends in Dundalk. I extend my sympathies to their family, friends and the wider community. It has been a weekend of very mixed emotions. I want to express huge congratulations to the Irish football team. Like Senator Brady, I remember Italia 90 well. There is a new boy in town. The boy Roy must move over for the boy Troy. It is an amazing success. As another Senator said, it is great that a younger generation can see what we witnessed when we were younger and the positivity and hope that came from Italia 90. I want to discuss sport, in particular how we can improve the rate of swimming among adults and children. The swimming rate in Ireland for adults is about 72%, which is short of the European average.”
“If we allow data centres to generate their own power, which has been talked about, and I have raised this because we in the north west are concerned about the use of that filthy LNG gas, we are going to compound this further. Of course we welcome the investment in the electricity grid, but we have to make sure that it is going to work cross-departmentally, that money can be spent wisely and that it chimes and is in accordance with our stated climate policy and our climate obligations that we are obliged to fulfil.”
“Data centres are using all the additional green energy we have generated over the past number of years, leaving nothing for society. We have upgrade projects in the north west - my area - such as the North-South interconnector, the north Connacht project and Flagford-Sligo capacity needs project. These should all be prioritised. These should make our grid stable for healthcare, residential customers and facilitate connections for newly constructed domestic dwellings. They should not be used to prioritise the building of more data centres. It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The growth in data centres means that we are failing to decarbonise. We are generating more demand for fossil fuel-generated electricity.”
“We can spend as much money as we like upgrading the ESB infrastructure, but unless we address the simple measures such as not planting trees underneath power lines, then we are not tackling this or taking it seriously. We in the north west know this more than ever. The other element I wish to address is the growth in data centres, which my colleague Senator Collins referenced. They are using so much electricity that we are way off meeting our legally binding climate targets of reducing reliance on fossil fuels by 50% by 2030. Data centres currently use one fifth of all our electricity, which on projected use will rise to one third within the next few years. The pace of the growth of data centres is outstripping the work that we are doing towards the building of renewables.”
“He said the rationale behind this was that these would be harvested before they become big enough to pose a threat to the power lines. However, many of the Minister's colleagues on Leitrim County Council pointed out how flawed this plan was. Councillor Paddy O'Rourke, who is a Fianna Fáil councillor, said that 25 years ago, enough Christmas trees had been planted to satisfy demand from a population of 20 million. These trees have now grown to maturity, and if they are under power lines, they pose a threat. A Sinn Féin councillor also raised the same issue of trees having been planted where problematic forestry had been cleared earlier this year.”
“I have brought up many times in the Seanad that the overreliance on shallow rooted giant Sitka spruce as a cash crop has caused social, economic and environmental problems, most immediately evident to the rest of the country through the disruption caused by Storm Darragh at the end of 2024, Storm Amy just last month and, most devastatingly, Storm Éowyn, which caused 768,000 customers to lose power on 24 January. By 11 February - nearly three weeks later - there were still 200 homes without power, mainly in Leitrim, Roscommon and Galway. To line up with Government policy and having some inter- or cross-departmental response to this, a Leitrim Observer article recently reported that the Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, was advocating for the planting of Christmas trees under power lines.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I echo my fellow Senators' sentiments that we welcome that there is going to be rapid investment in ESB Networks, but it is about how and where this is spent and how it relates to the rest of Government policy. I will talk in particular about my own area and securing the supply in parts of the north west, which is the area that has been most severely affected by outages over the past 12 months. It means ensuring in the medium term that power lines are clear of possible disruption from falling trees. Leitrim is one of the most overforested counties in the State with 20.1% of land area planted with forestry in 2022.”
“The school is waiting and is stuck between two phases. I hope the Minister of State will relay these concerns to the Department. Additional provision was mentioned. The Ursuline College has adapted to the needs of students. By working within their old buildings, they have created two wonderful time-out runs for young people with additional needs. The school has met all the criteria but is stuck in limbo and I hope that the Minister of State will relay this back.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the response but it is very disappointing. I note the line "it is not feasible to give an indicative timeline for delivery." I appreciate that there are lots of capital projects happening. I hope that the Minister of State can relay to the Department that there is an urgency due to the real fear of the lapse in planning permission. Over the 11 years since the new school project was recommended, €500,000 has been spent on the repair and maintenance of the old buildings. Also, these old buildings deteriorate every day. Not only that, but €2.3 million has been spent by the Department since January 2019 on fees and surveys for this project. I hope that the Department will progress this project as a matter of urgency. The risk that planning permission will lapse gives this a real urgency.”
“I ask the Minister of State to confirm the current status of this project, to state when the school community can expect stage 3 to be completed and to set out when can they expect it to move to stage 4, which is the construction phase.”
“Again, the then Minister, Deputy Foley, stated that Stage 3 should take approximately 12 months. The urgency is felt by the entire school because the school is not fit for purpose. The completion of this project is a matter of urgency because the current planning permission is due to expire in May 2027. If construction has not reached an appropriate stage within the next 16 months, which in the grand scheme of things is not that far away, the development will have to go back to planning, thus creating additional delays and increasing costs. Significant costs have already been incurred throughout the planning process.”
“An application was submitted which reached stage 2 and a detailed design was submitted in May 2024. I note an answer that the then Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, gave to the Dáil in response to other representatives who raised this issue in September 2024, which said that this stage should have taken approximately 12 months. The initial part of stage 3, pre-qualification of the contract, was completed in February of this year and a list of contractors has been drawn up. An updated cost plan for the project was submitted by the design team in May 2025 following consultations and various representations from the building unit. So now the school currently awaits permission from the Department of education to issue tenders to the pre-qualified list.”
“The Ursuline nuns made the most of what they had because they valued education. In fact, throughout our difficult history, it was one of the schools that kept progressing which is evident by the growth in student numbers. Again, music rooms, home economic rooms and technology rooms have been added. I commend all these developments, which are really welcome and hard fought for, but they concealed the obvious fact that a new school building was needed. In 2014, a comment was made, not by the school principal or the board of management, but by Tony Sheppard, who was the technical manager in the planning and building unit of the Department of education, that recommended the building of a new school to encompass the protected structures of the original school and the other buildings.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Ursuline College in Sligo was founded in 1850 and is celebrating its 175th anniversary, on which I congratulate the staff and all the students. I worked in the college for 17 years as a youth liaison worker and my daughter is a student there so I have a big interest in the college. If one looks at a photograph of the school from its early days one can see a very recognisable and beautiful structure. Much construction has taken place through the years. The school has worked really hard and upgraded its facilities from the 1860s onwards, and the original school building still remains in use. I give credit to the Ursuline nuns at the time for adapting to the needs of students throughout the years by adding science labs, study labs and concert halls.”
“I move amendment No. 10c: In page 13, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: " Amendment of section 31 of Principal Act 17 . Section 31 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3): “(3) In an action for damages for defamation— (a) general damage shall not be presumed, and (b) when making an award (if any) of general damages, regard shall be had to all of the circumstances of the case.".".”
“This means that it is not necessary for people taking frivolous, exaggerated or unfounded cases as a stance that can prove any loss or harm. By changing the presumptions, we can help to ensure that our small to medium enterprises are protected from the sort of retail defamation that has become all too common in recent years. Abolishing the presumption of general damage would not deter litigants in genuine cases, where it would be straightforward to produce witnesses as to the effect of the defamatory publication on their view of the plaintiff. Therefore, would this amendment, this simple fix, not tackle the serious challenge facing our small businesses, particularly in the retail sector, without in any way undermining the existing protections individuals enjoy under defamation law?”
“Retail defamation was originally to be tackled under the general scheme of this Bill, but these provisions seem to have been dropped by the Government. This amendment proposes to pose the question as to why defamation is alone among several wrongs in having a presumption of general damage. Does this not then encourage litigation? Our current system presumes general damages when defamation has been shown to take place. General damage is to be contrasted with special damage, which means specific financial loss or actual harm, which would need to be proven on evidence. In contrast, general damage refers to non-economic reputational damage, for example the impact on mental health. The current law presumes that general damage flows from every defamatory statement, without the need for proof.”
“My amendment is along similar lines to that of Senator Nelson Murray. It is an easy fix. This amendment would repeal the common law rule that, where it is proven that a defamatory statement has been published, then general damage is automatically presumed. The right to defend one's good name in front of a jury is of course fundamental, but we must accept that something has gone wrong when retailers are facing legal actions for what are manifestly non-defamatory statements. Whether it is asking for a receipt, refusing to accept counterfeit currency or asking for ID when selling alcohol, none of these situations should see businesses faced with defamation cases. We know it is happening because I have been contacted by small to medium enterprises all over the country about this. They are bearing the brunt of this flawed system.”
“Among so many young people, addiction presents a problem but underlying issues that need to be addressed often precede drug use. These include trauma, sexual abuse, physical abuse, exclusion from school, not being looked after, incarceration, poverty and neglect - I could go on. Our communities deserve better. Young people deserve better. I hope the motion by my colleagues in the Dáil will be supported.”
“The use of banned drugs is spread fairly evenly across all sectors of society. In contrast, drug law enforcement targets poor and disadvantaged users and our prisons are full of young people from poor and disadvantaged communities caught up in the illegal drug trade. Their drugs conviction condemns them to a lifetime of difficulty gaining employment, housing and insurance and with community participation, relationships and travel. Some 70% of the State's prison population report having addiction issues. The figure is 85% of women, which indicates they should not be in prison. Drug reform means no one is criminalised and people are less likely to overdose, less likely to be poisoned by contaminants and more likely to seek help, if needed.”
“This evidence of what Portugal has done shows us it works. Drug use in Ireland is changing. Cocaine, for example, is now the most common drug addiction treated in Ireland, accounting for 40% of all treatment cases in 2024, and crack cocaine is rife in our cities. It is not okay that we continue to throw young people into the criminal justice system. The message behind the Labour Party's drug motion is simple - take drug use out of the courts and replace an ethos of crime and punishment with one of health and humanity. This will free up the courts, free up Garda time so that gardaí can deal with serious crime like violent crime, and free up resources so that services treating young people and people struggling with addiction on the ground receive multi-annual funding and supported front-line services.”
“Criminalising and stigmatising people in addiction leads to a system that undermines and dehumanises those who need our support, care and compassion. It is time to change it. I went into the Chamber to watch the debate and the Minister said she would support the motion. It recalls the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use and the ongoing work of the Joint Committee on Drugs Use, both of which have recognised that criminalisation is not working. Other countries all across Europe have shown us the direction and that progressive drugs policies can work. As we know, Portugal took the brave step 20 years ago to decriminalise personal possession, which resulted in fewer deaths, more people in treatment and overall rates of drug use falling below the EU average. Portugal chooses health over punishment and we need to adopt the same approach here.”
“My Labour Party colleagues in the Dáil introduced a motion today calling for the State to urgently adopt a well-overdue compassionate and health-led public approach to drug use. While the Government has promised over the years to pursue a health-led approach, it has failed to put this into effect. All over our country, in small villages, small towns and cities, people are struggling with problem drug use and addiction. They need support and not to be cast into the throws of the criminal justice system. We all know friends and members of families who are affected by addiction. Nobody could argue that the current policy on drugs is working. It is time we took problem drug use out of the courts and offered support to people who need it.”
“The Minister knows this but providing a three-month pass to someone is a no-brainer. Financial control is a major part of domestic violence and coercive control. Access to money means freedom from that control. This is a very basic measure that, if introduced, could save people's lives, similar to what Senator Dee Ryan said earlier. I hope the Minister will reconsider the amendment he has introduced today.”
“My colleague Senator Harmon said there had been 65,000 calls to An Garda Síochána last year regarding domestic violence. That is 200 people a week. We know the Bill is limited by the three months but it is significant in its ambition and in the financial and psychological impact it will have on survivors and their families. The Government should pause and think. We all should. We can see the support here. It is okay to say that we made a mistake. We do not need to have a timed amendment. Why have it? As a new Senator, I do not understand the idea behind timed amendments. All they do is delay things. We have raised this before. I represent a rural constituency. Sligo and Leitrim are counties where there are no women's refuges. That is being worked on. The availability of Local Link services has transformed rural Ireland.”
“Many speakers, on both the Opposition and Government sides, have spoken passionately about this Bill. I completely agree with Senator Ruane that there is an opportunity for the Government to step back and take out the amendment. As Senator Nicole Ryan said, the proposal is for only three months of free travel. Senator Ruane noted that when she first read the Bill, she thought it would surely pass. When we found out today there would be a timed amendment, none of us could believe it. The Bill proposes a very simple solution that can completely change people's lives. I am very happy to be part of this very brave and liberal legislative proposal. It offers a thoughtful and practical way to address an issue about which there is so much talk at the moment. We know the rate.”
“We do not really have a response yet and do not have a timeline. The danger is that, because of the presidential election and then we are going to be coming up to Christmas, this issue will be kicked down the road again. The Minister of State mentioned the fragile ceasefire. It is very fragile, but surely the ceasefire would be kept in place if Israel knew that there would be some sanctions or that it could not get away with this. Since 7 October 2023, the Israeli aggression on Palestine has resulted in 69,215 people being killed, 179,237 people being injured, 18,700 Palestinians being detained, and 1.9 million people being displaced. Israel is still getting away with it, and I am disappointed that there is not a clear timeline and that we cannot get a straight answer.”
“We need a clear answer. When will we get the advice from the Attorney General? What is preventing services being included? I know the constant argument is that it will affect the trade of Irish companies because of the boycotting and divestment rule in America but we should not be trading with illegal settlements anyway. We just need to get a clear answer on it, and I thank the Minister of State for coming here to address this.”
“What is the point of witnesses coming before our foreign affairs committee, which deliberated for a significant amount of time, or any Oireachtas committee if its recommendations are not adhered to? Spain has banned the importation of goods and the advertisement of services. As a country, we want to go further than this. In fairness, credit where credit is due, we have been leading out on Palestine and as a country. Huge credit has to be given to Senator Black for drafting the Bill in the first place. It is going on too long. It was very much an election promise that this Bill would be enacted. How can Israel get away with genocide in front of our eyes when the International Court of Justice has made a ruling on it? How is this going to stand for humanity? I am not going to give a big lecture about it because we all know where we stand.”
“Can we please get an answer on what aspects of services are believed not to be implementable? The foreign affairs committee has met international lawyers who were able to outline a clear pathway for the inclusion of services. There was a strong argument that we should not be worried about the inclusion of services, that they should be part of the Bill and that if it does not work out, it can be changed to exclude services. In my understanding, that is easily done. I acknowledge we are waiting for the advice of the Attorney General but by not including services, are we not uncompliant with the International Court of Justice? As the Minister of State knows, we have all stood on the side of justice and the majority of people in Ireland want to see this Bill passed as soon as possible, but they want the inclusion of services.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. Many Senators have raised this issue as members of the foreign affairs committee. I ask for a straight answer about the timeline for the occupied territories Bill and the advice of the Attorney General. My Labour Party colleague and my party's spokesperson on foreign affairs, Deputy Duncan Smith, has asked the Tánaiste if we would get an answer in October and was told it will probably be in November. From talking to Senator Black, I understand a meeting had been scheduled for last week but because of the motion of confidence it was moved from that date and she has not been given a specific date. Many Members of this House have raised it. The Taoiseach was here last Thursday. We just want to know. It was agreed in the foreign affairs committee to include services in the Bill.”
“It is time to start to treat the early years sector as a serious and integral part of the education system, which is a public good.”
“The only body which has the capacity to make the investment required to make our early years sector fit for the future is the State. I am glad that there is going to be a commitment to moving toward this. Unfortunately, the budget left a lot of people disappointed because of the overpromising coming up to the election. An additional cost that my colleagues in Sligo, particularly in the community sector, are concerned about is the cost of auto-enrolment. Like them, I fully welcome the introduction of auto-enrolment. Everyone is in favour of pensions, but how will this be paid for? The cost for a large community setting that I am involved with has been estimated to be €10,000 to €12,000. We are wondering how this will be paid. Is finance going to be made available for community sector providers and all independent early years providers?”
“We know that a shortage of staff results in a shortage of child places, especially in the baby and toddler rooms, where the staff-to-child ratio is much higher. A shortage of child places means, as in the rest of the economy, that when demand outstrips supply, those providing these services can increase their price. Access to core funding, the ECCE, the NCS and other schemes work for many providers, but they are not working for others. It does suit some providers, particularly big chains, to leave core funding and increase fees to parents. Small providers do not have the resources to address pay and conditions on their own. Families do not have the capacity to pay the fees which would be required to address pay and conditions.”
“Low pay is cited by 86% of early years educators as being the main reason for leaving the sector. Experienced early years educators, managers and even providers continue to leave the sector. Many choose to become special needs assistants, where the starting salary is €16.83 per hour - €1.30 above the base rate for an early years educator and €2.68 above the minimum wage. On the other hand, qualified national school teachers receive €44.67 per hour, almost three times the hourly rate of an early years educator. Is it any wonder that the early years sector loses a huge number of graduates to the primary education sector every year? Low wages continue to mean that there is a shortage of staff.”
“Obviously, I completely welcome the increase in the minimum wage, but how will a basic difference of 85 cent per hour attract people to choose a career in a highly rewarding but challenging sector? The reality is that there remains a recruitment and retention crisis in the sector and the crisis is deepening. The prebudget submission from SIPTU identified a 25% turnover rate. High turnover rates-----”
“While the large corporate chains are making vast profits, small providers continue to struggle to make funding streams work for them. It is not like this crisis in childcare happened overnight. It has been like a runaway train for successive Fianna Fáil- and Fine Gael-led governments. The implementation of the third employment regulation order for the early years sector has steadily increased the basic pay per hour from €13 in 2022 to €15 this September. This was hard fought for and hard won. It was won by trade unions and workers on the ground. During this same period, the minimum wage has risen from €10.50 to €13.50 today and it will be increasing to €14.50 in January 2026.”