Vol. 463 No. 1
38 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health when a system for the inspection and supervision by health boards of pre-school services for children under the Child Care Act, 1991 will be introduced in view of his commitment in his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 39 of 28 September 1995 that this would happen during 1996. [5713/96]
Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991 provides for the introduction of a system for the inspection and supervision by health boards of pre-school services for children. This involves the introduction of regulations for the purpose of securing the health, safety and welfare and promoting the development of children attending pre-school services.
As part of the process of preparing the regulations I have established a working group in my Department to make recommendations in relation to the standards that should apply to pre-school services in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
The working group is representative of my Department, the Department of Education, the health boards, the broad range of pre-school service providers and is chaired by the Department. The group held its first meeting on 15 February. It is intended that the draft guidelines prepared by the group on the standards that should apply in pre-school services will form the basis of the new regulations and accompanying guidelines on their implementation for the health boards. The group is expected to complete its work by mid-year. I intend to implement the new regulations before the end of this year.
