Hundreds of childcare workers could go unpaid over the Easter weekend, as minister Katherine Zappone’s promise of a wage subsidy scheme for the sector seems to have hit the buffers.

Early Childhood Ireland, the membership organisation for the early years sector, says it fears that workers in a third of all childcare settings could end up with no pay at the holiday weekend, and has sought clarification from Zappone.

Director of policy Frances Byrne said: “Two weeks have passed since the minister called an urgent meeting of early years stakeholders to brief us about a bespoke Wage Subsidy Scheme for our sector.

“However, the scheme has yet to be established and this has left both employers and staff facing huge uncertainty as the Easter period begins.

“The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has continued to provide funding for relevant early years providers, ahead of the introduction of the Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme – and this is welcome.  However, over one-third of the 4,500 early-years settings across Ireland operate on a part-time basis.  As such, they usually cease operations over Easter and would not normally receive state funding over that period.

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“Because the subsidy has not yet been introduced, thousands of childcare staff are now facing two weeks with no pay at all.  So far their salaries have been covered by the regular state funding for childcare places, but this will cease for these two weeks because they work in services that normally close for Easter."

Catch 22

Byrne added: “Employers in our sector have been advised by the Department to continue paying staff throughout the crisis period, including over Easter, with the promise of support through the Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme.  But because this Scheme has not yet materialised, thousands of workers are now facing Easter with no income for this week or the following week.

“It is critical that the department issues an immediate update with a firm date for the introduction of the scheme and, in the meantime, provides the necessary funding so that staff can get paid over Easter.”