Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Child Care Facilities.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004

Thursday, 19 February 2004

Ceisteanna (175)

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

175 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the threatened closure of access to full-time working parents at a number of crèches around the country due to the implementation of regulations on this; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that in some places there are no alternatives and parents will have to consider giving up work, which is against Government policy; if he will intervene to facilitate parents who have no other choice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5402/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996 give effect to the provisions of Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and provide for notification to, and inspection by, health boards of pre-school services. The regulations apply to pre-schools, playgroups, day nurseries, crèches, childminders looking after more than three children and other similar services which cater for children under six years of age.

The purpose of the 1996 regulations is to build on the existing good standards in our pre-school services and gradually improve standards throughout the sector. The aim is to secure the health, safety and welfare of pre-school children and to promote the development of children attending pre-school services.

Details of deficiencies in services identified during inspection are outlined in writing to the provider and the provider is required to outline measures that will be put in place to deal with the deficiencies. While taking cognisance of their statutory duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of children the health board pre-school inspection teams work in a supportive way with the providers to ensure that planned improvements are made.

Where serious breaches of the regulations concerning the health, safety and welfare of children identified during an inspection are not rectified within a specified timescale, health boards can bring the matter to the attention of the District Court under Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991. The court may impose a fine or prohibit a provider from operating a pre-school service for a specified period.

The health boards have provided information that there are currently no services closing as a result of court proceedings. Health boards state that the number of services are increasing with the assistance of grant aid and other supports available under the equal opportunities child care programme of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Health boards as part of their advisory service are working closely with prospective providers. They work with the county and city child care committees to ensure that services coming on stream are in compliance with legislative requirements.

I understand from the health boards that pre-school services do close voluntarily occasionally for a number of reasons ranging from personal reasons to financial viability to other legislative requirements such as fire or planning. On the introduction of the regulations providers would have cited the requirements of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996 as the reason for closure sometimes in advance of having been inspected. At present it is significantly less likely to be a reason for closure.

Two of the area health boards in the eastern region could not provide information on the issues raised by the Deputy in the time available. My Department has asked the regional chief executive of the Eastern Regional Health Authority to reply directly to the Deputy about the two boards.

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