The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
A GROUP of 25 Clare early education providers swapped the classroom for the streets when they staged a one-day protest in O’Connell Street, Ennis recently. Eilis Wall, who runs a Pre-School in Shannon catering for 30 children, said college graduates with four-year degrees were expected to work in the early years sector for €13.50 per hour. “We only get paid for 38 weeks of the year for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). “Our staff have to sign on for the summer holidays and this year had to wait six weeks to get paid lower than the dole rate. “Under the core funding model, we haven’t got any extra pay. We haven’t received our core funding yet. If I had four graduates, I only get paid for one graduate. “I am renting in a primary school. The school has helped to make it affordable to stay open. We want to be paid like teachers. A Special Needs Assistant starts on …
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