New €13 per hour minimum rate will mean pay rise for 70% of childcare staff

There are hopes the new rate will help the recruitment and retention crisis in the childcare sector.

Both unions and the Government have hailed a “historic” pay deal that will set minimum wages in the early childhood care and education sector for the first time, and give more than 70% of staff a pay rise.

An early years educator will now earn at least €13 an hour, and activists hope this improvement will help to alleviate the recruitment and retention crisis in the sector.