UP TO 1,000 children under the age of three in Clare remain on waiting lists for an Early Years place, according to figures from Pobal.
The figures, contained in Pobal’s Annual Early Years Sector Profile Survey for 2024/25, show that 326 children under one were on waiting lists in Clare, alongside 390 children aged between one and two and 296 aged between two and three.
Early Childhood Ireland said the figures highlighted ongoing staffing challenges in the sector as Early Years providers reopen following the summer break.
Pobal’s data also shows that Early Years and School Age Care settings in Clare are losing 21.8% of their staff each year.
Frances Byrne, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigning at Early Childhood Ireland, said increased pay for Early Years staff was needed to address capacity issues.
“Many of the government’s current plans focus on reducing fees for families which alone simply won’t be enough to increase capacity,” she said.
“To resolve the issue of long waiting lists, the Government must prioritise increased pay for Early Years staff in the upcoming Budget – ensuring those providing care and education to our youngest citizens are treated fairly.”
Early Childhood Ireland is calling for Budget 2027 measures to help attract and retain staff, including a date for the introduction of pay parity for Early Years and School Age Care graduates and an increase in the Graduate Premium in Core Funding.
The organisation said the waiting-list figures may include children who have been placed on multiple waiting lists.
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