Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013
653. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of additional inspectors hired since it was revealed by the "Prime Time Investigates" programme that a number of areas were without an inspector; and if she will confirm that her Department has sufficient inspectors now to cover every area. [36653/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraPre-school services are subject to the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No.2) Regulations 2006, as provided for under Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991. The implementation of these Regulations and the inspection of pre-schools is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Management reforms are underway in the HSE in advance of the establishment of the Child and Family Agency. These include a programme of work to strengthen the pre-school inspectorate to ensure a greater nationwide consistency of practice in line with new National Quality Standards, and to address concerns regarding local inconsistencies and fragmentation.
In addition, the HSE is reviewing the regional spread of resources to determine whether additional resources or redeployment of existing inspectors is required. I am engaging with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in relation to additional resource requirements.
The HSE has begun the process of publishing retrospective pre-school inspection reports on-line, and this process will continue over the coming weeks and months. All new inspection reports from 1st July will be published on-line on completion. Pobal is hosting the publication of the pre-school inspection reports, and they are available on the Pobal website.
