Vol. 508 No. 1
853 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science whether the transfer of schools belonging to the Irish Montessori Education Board from the Department of Health and Children to his Department has taken place; if not, when it will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17667/99]
Part VII of the Child Care Act, 1991 provides for the supervision by health boards of pre-school services. National schools, as defined in the Act, and schools providing an educational programme similar to a national school are excluded from the remit of the Act. The issue which arises in the case of schools owned by the Irish Montessori Education Board – IMEB – is not the transfer of responsibility for the schools to my Department but how, in practice, the Child Care Act provisions are to apply to them in a way which balances the welfare of children and the effective operation of the schools. My Department has informed the Department of Health and Children that IMEB operates a system of accrediting and registering schools which in my Department's view ensures that the schools operate to high standards as regards the safety, care and welfare of the pupils and that in principle my Department would favour a situation where the IMEB schools would be dealt with under child care legislation in the same way as recognised schools. The Department of Health and Children were given a list of schools concerned with a request that the health boards be informed of the schools in their functional area and of my Department's views as regards the welfare of their pupils.
My Department, together with both IMEB and the Department of Health and Children is at present actively considering how in the longer term the rights of children attending IMEB registered schools can best be guaranteed and the interests of the schools themselves promoted. The Deputy will also be aware that I am currently preparing a White Paper on early childhood education. The White Paper will address all aspects of early childhood education, including inspection of providers. In addition, this House will commence its debate on the Education (Welfare) Bill, 1999 next week. This Bill, when enacted, will provide important safeguards for the education of children of compulsory school going age, whether they receive their education in recognised schools or other places.
