Over 1,500 children on waiting list for early years education in Donegal
Early Childhood Ireland warns that without significant investment in the Early Years workforce in Budget 2026, efforts to expand capacity will fall short
Over 1,500 Donegal children are on the waiting list for a place at an Early Years programme.
The latest figures from Pobal, the organisation which administers Early Years programmes, show that up to 1,567 children under the age of three are currently on crèche waiting lists across Donegal.
Early Childhood Ireland warns that without significant investment in the Early Years workforce in Budget 2026, efforts to expand capacity will fall short.
The data reveals that there are 404 children under the age of one on waiting lists and only 13 places available; 593 children aged one to two on waiting lists and 14 places available; and 570 children aged two to three on waiting lists and 78 places available to them.
“No child should miss out because of failures to invest in this vital workforce, yet that’s exactly what’s happening to thousands of children in Donegal,” said Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, Frances Byrne. “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 Donegal average staff turnover rate, which is over 20 per cent.
“Waiting lists like these would never be accepted in primary education, yet they remain a daily reality for younger children,” said Ms Byrne. “As a first step to increasing capacity, Early Childhood Ireland is calling on the Government to announce, on Budget Day, a date for bringing Early Years and School Age Care graduates within public sector pay and conditions, in line with teachers.
“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 Donegal 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.”
Despite 76 per cent of adults backing guaranteed access to Early Years and School Age Care, according to Early Childhood Ireland’s 2025 Barometer, this is still far from reality for many Donegal children. 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. With over 593 children between the ages of one and two already waiting, many local families know there is little chance of finding a place before then.
“It’s incredibly tough for parents trying to find a place for their child,” said Ms Byrne. “At the same time, we hear from our 127 members in Donegal 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.”