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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 2

Other Questions. - Pre-School Inspections.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

6 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of inspections of pre-schools which have taken place; the number subsequently closed due to the fact standards were not met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18320/99]

The purpose of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, 1996, is to build on the existing good standards in our pre-school services and gradually improve standards throughout the sector to secure the health, safety and welfare of pre-school children and to promote the development of children attending pre-school services. Under the regulations, pre-school providers are obliged to notify their local health board that they are carrying on or proposing to carry on a pre-school service. On receipt of notification, the health board will provide relevant information to the applicant and arrange for an inspection to be carried out by an authorised person. Some 2,481 such inspections have taken place to date. Where breaches of the regulations are identified following inspection, health boards can bring the matter to the attention of the District Court under Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991.

The Southern Health Board brought a prosecution against one provider who was obliged by the court to cease operating her service for a period of 60 days. All health boards report that they are aware that a number of pre-school service providers have closed their service voluntarily either before or after inspection as they are aware that they fall short of the standards required by the regulations.

The Deputy will be aware that the Partnership 2000 expert working group on child care under the auspices of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, examined the provision of a co-ordinated national framework for the development of a child care infrastructure, including the financing and resourcing implications of its implementation. The report of the group was launched on 3 February 1999. The Government established an interdepartmental committee on child care chaired by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to evaluate, cost and prioritise the proposals in the report and the child care proposals in the Action Programme for the Millennium, the Report of the Commission on the Family and the Report of the Forum on Early Childhood Education. The report of the committee has been noted by the Government which has referred the report for consideration to a ministerial group. The Deputy will appreciate that, having regard to my responsibilities, the health, safety and welfare of children must be my primary consideration.

I am disappointed the Minister does not have a reply to my question. I asked how many places have been lost because of inspections but he was not able to tell me that. Is the Minister aware that the Minister of State said recently that the Department of Health and Children had more than replaced the number of places lost through the provision of new nursery places? How many nursery places is the Department funding at present?

I do not have that information as it is a separate question. The latest information available from the health boards shows that 1,864 places have been reduced arising from the inspection process. The requirement to reduce places is mainly related to the availability of adequate space per child in the premises and/or the requirement to have a sufficient number of competent adults supervising the pre-school children in the service at all times. When I inquired about that statistic I was told it represents approximately 4 per cent of the total places notified, which stands at 44,686.

I thank the Minister for those figures. I am sure he would agree that 1,864 places is a huge number. What proposals does he have to replace those places which have been lost? I am not denying that inspections are important and it is essential we have standards but it is equally essential that the Government provides funding to ensure that a proper pre-school service can be provided and that it is financially viable. It is difficult to know who is responsible. Recently the Minister for Education and Science said he was responsible for pre-school services yet he is putting little money into them. Is it the Minister's intention to accept any responsibility for the provision of pre-school services and to provide funding this year?

I made the point in my initial reply that a ministerial group is looking at the various reports to Government. This requires an examination of the provision of a co-ordinated national framework for the development of a child care infrastructure, including the financing and resourcing implications of its implementation. The ministerial group must come to certain conclusions and come before the Cabinet with final proposals on those issues.

Can the Minister confirm that the working group is currently considering three documents, none of which has emanated from the Department? Does he accept responsibility for funding pre-school places?

The Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, has been more proactive in this area than any of his predecessors. There were almost no child care facilities under previous Administrations, so he started from a low base.

It is now lower.

The Deputy said she agrees with regulation. If she wants more substandard places she should state that because she cannot have it both ways. We want regulation and proper standards and that is the way to proceed.

Will the Minister fund those places?

As a result of the inspections taking place, 4 per cent of the places notified to us do not meet the standards. The Deputy wanted to know if I would fund those replacements, more of which are needed. A ministerial group is looking at that general policy area and the Cabinet has yet to make decisions on resourcing and financing and how the new child care infrastructure will be put in place. That is the position as of today.

Has the Minister responsibility for funding?

I am on the committee.

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