OVER 2,100 children in Limerick are currently on waiting lists for a place in early years and school-age care settings after the summer break.
Early Childhood Ireland this week warned 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 2,112 children across the county under the age of three are currently on crèche waiting lists, highlighting the stark demand for places in Limerick.
The data also revealed 422 children under the age of one on waiting lists and only six places available; 927 children aged one to two on waiting lists for nine available places; and 763 children aged two to three on waiting lists for 75 places.
Commenting on these stark figures, director of policy at Early Childhood Ireland, Frances Byrne, said that “no child should miss out because of failures to invest properly in this vital workforce, yet that’s exactly what’s happening to thousands of children in Limerick”.
“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 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, it said, which is over 22 per cent in Limerick.
“Waiting lists like these would never be accepted in primary education, yet they remain a daily reality for younger children. 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,” Ms Byrne said.
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 Limerick 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.
“Providers in Limerick will not be able to expand their capacity in settings unless they can recruit and retain qualified staff on appropriate terms and conditions,” Ms Byrne said.
