Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Apr 2001

Vol. 534 No. 1

Written Answers. - Child Care Facilities.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

60 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of annual inspections of crèches or child care premises held each year; the number of prosecutions initiated for breach of regulations in each of the past three years; the number of convictions secured; if he has satisfied himself that adequate standards are being maintained, particularly having regard to details disclosed in the recent case taken against a crèche (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10002/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Ms Hanafin)

Under the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations, 1996, which give effect to provisions of Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991, 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.

The following table sets out the number of annual inspections per year since 1997 together with the number of prosecutions and convictions by year for the past three years based on material supplied by the health boards. The figures for inspections carried out include first and subsequent annual inspections.

Year	Number ofAnnualInspections*	Number ofProsecutions*	Number ofConvictions*
1997	106	0	0
1998	989	1	1
1999	966	3	2
2000	1,116	1	0
2001(to date)	225	3	1

*Up-to-date information from the Eastern Regional Health Authority is not yet to hand. It will be forwarded to the Deputy when available.

A summary pre-school inspection report detailing any deficiencies is forwarded to the pre-school provider as part of the inspection procedures. The provider is required to reply to the report within a given timeframe, outlining the measures that will be put in place to deal with the deficiencies. If the deficiencies noted during inspection are of a serious nature and the team feels that there is a potential risk to the safety of the children, the provider is so informed and a follow-up inspection will be carried out within a shorter period of time to ensure compliance with the recommendations of the inspection team.

In general, where deficiencies in services are identified during inspection, the health board and the providers work in a co-operative manner to make specific improvements in a planned way, provided any delay would not adversely affect the welfare of children. The experience of the pre-school inspection teams is that the majority of pre-school providers wish to achieve a high standard of service and work in partnership with the teams to achieve and maintain this standard.

Where serious breaches of the regulations concerning the health, safety and welfare of children identified during an inspection are not rectified within specified timescales, health boards can bring the matter to the attention of the District Court under Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991.

The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on a particular case. In general, I am satisfied that the implementation of the inspection system under the 1996 regulations is leading to a better standard of service in child care facilities.