Up to 3,400 children in Kildare remain on waiting lists for childcare

With many Early Years providers reopening after the summer break, up to 3,400 children under three years of age in Kildare remain on waiting lists for a place due to ongoing staffing challenges, according to Early Childhood Ireland.

In response to growing waiting lists in Kildare and beyond, Early Childhood Ireland has published three proposals aimed at ensuring Budget 2027 contains measures to attract and retain staff in the sector.

Commenting on the proposals as providers reopen their doors this week, Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, said: “The message is clear: demand for Early Years places across Ireland continues to grow rapidly, while the capacity of many of our members to provide a space for every child is being stretched at an unsustainable rate.

“High-quality Early Years and School Age Care can make an extraordinary difference in children’s lives, especially for those experiencing disadvantage. With up to 3,400 children under the age of three currently on a waiting list in Kildare, the number of families struggling to find a place for their child or reconsidering their own working arrangements because of a lack of provision can no longer be ignored and simply should not be acceptable to us as a wealthy, developed nation.”

Early Childhood Ireland is calling on Government to:

• Name a date to introduce pay parity for Early Years and School Age Care graduates.
• Double the Graduate Premium in Core Funding.
• Invest in three in-service days per year for every Early Years and School Age Care setting.

The waiting list figures come from Pobal’s Annual Sector Profile Survey, which shows that, among those surveyed in Kildare, more than 10,200 children under three were enrolled for an Early Years place in 2024/25 and up to 3,400 remained on waiting lists. Of those waiting for a place, 476 were under the age of one; 1,599 were 1-2 years old; and 1,348 were 2-3 years old.

Ms Byrne explained, “While these figures include families who may have put their children on multiple lists, they still paint a picture of an unsustainable system in which families with small children feel forced to book a place in more than one setting.”

Pay parity needed to ‘End the Exodus’ of Early Years workforce

Pobal’s data also shows Early Years and School Age Care settings in Kildare are losing 30% of their staff each year.

“Many of the government’s current plans focus on reducing fees for families which alone simply won’t be enough to increase capacity. 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,” continued Frances Byrne. “This would help to stem the tide of qualified staff leaving for better-paid jobs in education and other sectors, with many currently being paid just €15 per hour.”

“By prioritising this essential workforce, the Government has an opportunity to fundamentally address the biggest issues in the system for employers, parents and critically, for children. Without this, we will continue to lose highly skilled staff and the demand for Early Years places will only further outstrip capacity in many parts of Ireland.”