Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 September 2013
20. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the fact that child care facility inspection reports are compiled in long hand and then stored for scanning and online publication by another staff member is contributing to a delay in publicising reports; and if consideration will be given to providing inspectors with tablet computers to enable a speedier and more efficient process. [38606/13]
View answerA very significant reform programme is under way in the pre-school inspection service. This involves the introduction of new national standards against which all services will be inspected. This will bring about greater consistency and transparency in the inspection process. All new reports completed by inspectors are now being published on-line, providing open access to the public to inspection findings. In addition, my Department is working with the HSE pre-school inspection service to clearly distinguish very serious breaches of Regulations from those that are more minor. I have also undertaken to strengthen existing legislation to allow the HSE to more robustly pursue providers who do not meet inspection requirements.
Finally, the staff of the HSE's pre-school inspection service will transfer to the new Child and Family Agency which will be established shortly. New national management arrangements are being introduced to ensure consistency and the best use of resources.
All of these reforms require significant changes on the part of pre-school inspectors while continuing to undertake a demanding programme of inspections. I believe the Deputy's suggestion is worthy of consideration, although the feasibility of introducing such a change on a large scale basis in the short term in the current context would be of concern. I have asked the HSE to consider the matter as part of the programme under way to enhance the effectiveness and operational efficiency of the pre-school inspection service.
