Sir, – As International Women’s Day approaches, it is timely to reflect on the gender imbalances in Irish politics and public opinion that are holding Ireland’s early years system back.
In politics across the world, greater woman political representation has been linked to increased investment in what are commonly known as “public goods”, including early years care and education. Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising that early years and school age care in Ireland continues to receive limited political priority within a Government and Oireachtas that remain overwhelmingly unbalanced.
This divide is also reflected in public attitudes. Every year since 2018, Early Childhood Ireland’s annual Barometer shows stark differences between women and men in national opinion polling on issues such as access to crèches, pay and conditions for educators, and family leave. .
For example, the Barometer, an annual national opinion poll, found that 71 per cent of women believe that all parents should be financially supported to stay at home for the first 12 months of their child’s life, compared with just 58 per cent of men.
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It also found that 80 per cent of women agree that every child should have access to high-quality and inclusive early years provision in their community, with only 71 per cent of men in agreement. Preliminary results from this year’s Barometer, due to be published later this month, continue to show this gender gap in attitudes.
Ninety-seven per cent of early years educators are women, yet these professionals continue to receive limited political priority. They face low pay and poor conditions, driving many to leave, which in turn contributes to strain on early years settings and families. This is happening at a time when up to 40,000 children are already on creche waiting lists, and staffing is the greatest challenge facing settings.
Gendered differences in political representation and public attitudes signals a society that is still shaped by outdated assumptions about caregiving and men’s and women’s roles. This persistent lack of prioritisation continues to limit progress for one of the most fundamental public goods: accessible, equitable, high-quality early years and school age care.
The Government is taking some welcome steps to improve access, but without fair pay and conditions, educators will remain undervalued and will vote with their feet, and Ireland will continue to fall short of delivering the standard of care and education every child deserves. -Yours, etc.
FRANCES BYRNE,
Director of Policy,
Early Childhood Ireland
Dublin 24.
