Employment Regulation (Amendment) Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) No.2 2025.

S.I. No. 478/2025 - Employment Regulation (Amendment) Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) No.2 2025 Download PDF Íoslódáil PDF Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in “Iris Oifigiúil” of 14 th October, 2025. WHEREAS I, ALAN DILLON, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, being in receipt of proposals of The Early Years Service Joint Labour Committee that have been adopted by the Labour Court and forwarded to me under subsection (1) of section 42C (inserted by section 12 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012 (No.32 of 2012)) of the Industrial Relations Act 1946 (No. 26 of 1946) and being satisfied that sections 42A and 42B of that Act have been complied with and considering it appropriate to do so: NOW, I, ALAN DILLON, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by subsection (2) of section 42C (inserted by section 12 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 32 of 2012) of the Industrial Relations Act 1946 (No. 26 of 1946) (as adapted by the Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 ( S.I. No. 172 of 2025 ) and the Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2025 ( S.I No. 240 of 2025 ) hereby make the following order: 1. This Order may be cited as the Employment Regulation (Amendment) Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) No.2 2025 2. This Order amends S.I. 297 of 2024 the Employment Regulation (Amendment) Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) Order No.2 2024, and should be construed together with S.I. 458 of 2022 Employment Regulation Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) Order No. 2 2022. 3. This Order shall come into effect on the 13th of October 2025. 4. This Order gives effect to the proposals set out in the Schedule. PART I In this Order: - “Act of 2000” means the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 (Number 5 of 2000). “Establishment Order” means the S.I. No. 292/2021 – Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee Establishment, Order 2021. “Minister” means the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment A word or expression that is used in this Order, which is also used in the Establishment Order has, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning in this Order that it has in the Establishment Order Workers to Whom this Order Applies This Order applies to: (a) Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators (Including graduate rate) (b) Deputy / Assistant Managers (c) Centre Manager (Including graduate rate) PART II STATUTORY MINIMUM REMUNERATION AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT All provisions of Employment Regulation Order S.I. No. 297/2024 - Employment Regulation (Amendment) Order (Early Years’ Service Joint Labour Committee) Order No. 2 2024 will remain in force up to the date of signature of this Order, which will become effective from the date of signature by the Minister. SECTION I – RATE OF REMUMERATION (1) Subject to section (2) of this part, a worker to whom this Order applies shall be remunerated by his or her employer at the following hourly rate in respect of all working hours to include contact and non-contact hours with effect from the date of this Order; (a) Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators (i) Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators - €16.00 per hour from the date of this Order. A Lead Educator (Room Leader) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinator means a worker who is wholly or mainly in direct contact with children and who is involved in the education and/or care of children. In addition, an appointed Lead Educator (Room Leader) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinator will have responsibility for the education and care of a group of children, leading the practice with that group of children. (ii) Graduate Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators - €17.50 per hour from the date of this Order. A Graduate Lead Educator (Room Leader) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinator means a worker set out in (A)(i) above who has attained a minimum QQI Level 7 qualification or equivalent which is approved by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. (b) Deputy/Assistant Manager Deputy / Assistant Manager - €18.00 per hour from the date of this Order. Deputy/Assistant Manager means a worker who is appointed by their employer to support the Manager. An appointed Deputy/Assistant Manager may also work directly with children in addition to their day-to-day managerial duties and responsibilities. They may deputise as the person in charge in the absence of the manager, and/or, is wholly or mainly engaged in supporting the Manager with the day- to-day management duties and responsibilities of the Service. The Deputy/Assistant Manager may also work directly with children in addition to their day-to-day managerial duties and responsibilities. In the absence of the Manager, the Deputy/Assistant Manager may deputise as the person in charge of the service. (c) Centre Manager (i) Centre Manager - €19.00 per hour from the date of this Order. Centre Manager means a worker who is the primary designated person in charge of the service who carries out the day-to-day management duties and responsibilities for the service. The Manger may also work directly with children in addition to their day-to-day managerial duties and responsibilities. (ii) Graduate Centre Manager - €20.25 per hour from the date of this Order. A Graduate Centre Manager means a worker set out in C (i) who has attained a minimum QQI level 7 qualification, or equivalent which is approved by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. (2) (a) A worker who has not attained the age of 18 years shall be remunerated at an hourly rate of pay that is not less than 70 per cent of the rate specified in section 1. (b) A worker who has attained the age of 18 years but has not attained the age of 19 years shall be remunerated at an hourly rate of pay that is not less than 80 per cent of the rate specified in section 1. (c) A worker who has attained the age of 19 years but has not attained the age of 20 years shall be remunerated at an hourly rate of pay that is not less than 90 per cent of the rate specified in section 1. PART III OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT The following enactments set out the minimum statutory terms and conditions applicable TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994 Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 The Protection of Workers (Fixed Term Work) Act, 2003. Payment of Wages Act, 1991 Protection of Employment Act 1977 (Notification of Proposed Collective Redundancies) Regulation 1977. Bullying / Harassment / Grievance / Disciplinary Procedures In this regard, the following Codes of Practice are to be observed: S.I. No. 17 of 2002 — Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice Detailing Procedures for Addressing Bullying in the Workplace) (Declaration) Order 2002. S.I. No. 146 of 2000 —Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice on Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures) (Declaration) Order 2000. S.I. No. 208 of 2012 — Employment Equality Act 1998 (Code of Practice) (Harassment) Order 2012. S.I. No. 159/2021 - Workplace Relations Act 2015 (Workplace Relations Commission Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect) Order 2021. S.I. No. 169/1993 - Industrial Relations Act, 1990, Code of Practice on Employee Representatives (Declaration) Order, 1993. S.I. No. 463/2015 - Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice on Victimisation) (Declaration) Order 2015. S.I. No. 674/2020 - Industrial Relations Act 1990 (Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work) Order 2020. Sick Pay Sick pay arrangements should be in line with statutory provisions. GIVEN under my hand, 13 October 2025 ALAN DILLON, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. EXPLANATORY NOTE This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation. This Order fixes the statutory minimum rates of remuneration and other conditions of employment for the following categories of workers: Lead Educators (Room Leaders) and School Age Childcare (SAC) Coordinators (Including graduate rate) (B) Deputy / Assistant Managers (C) Centre Manager (Including graduate rate).