Over 550 Carlow children remain on early years waiting lists
Highlights big demand for places in Carlow
AS many children in Carlow return to Early Years and School Age Care settings this week after the summer break, over 550 children remain on waiting lists for a place. Early Childhood Ireland warns that without significant investment in the Early Years workforce in Budget 2026, efforts to expand capacity will fall short.
The latest figures from Pobal, the organisation which administers Early Years programmes, show that up to 575 children under the age of three are currently on crèche waiting lists, highlighting the high demand for places in Carlow.
Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, Frances Byrne, said: “No child should miss out because of failures to invest properly in this vital workforce, yet that’s exactly what’s happening to hundreds of children in Carlow. Without significant investment in Budget 2026, and a renewed focus on staffing, challenges to recruit and retain educators will continue to block efforts to expand access for families.” In its budget 2026 Submission, Early Childhood Ireland has urged the government to name a date to bring pay and conditions for Early Years and School Age Care graduates in line with primary school teachers, who are educated and trained to the same level.
This would begin to reverse the average staff turnover rate, which is over 21 % in Carlow.
“Currently, the government is mainly focused on reducing fees, and although we welcome proposals to increase subsidies for families, this will only create further demand for places. Providers in Carlow will not be able to expand their capacity in settings unless they can recruit and retain qualified staff on appropriate terms and conditions. Naming a date to bring graduates into pay parity with teachers is a crucial next step,” she continued. “Local parents are left with no choice but to place the names of their unborn children on waiting lists, hoping to secure a place by the time the child turns two or three.” “It’s incredibly tough for parents trying to find a place for their child. At the same time, we hear from many of our 50 members in Carlow about how they want to expand, they’re ready to grow, but they struggle to recruit and retain qualified educators. We can’t expand access for children unless we improve pay and conditions for those who deliver that care and education. You can’t separate the two, and we hope the government sees that,” concluded Ms Byrne.
