• 1,672 pre-school inspection reports now published • Five new pre-school inspectors currently been recruited • Funding secured for additional inspectors and establishment of National Quality Support Service in 2914 • Changes to law on registration, enforcement and penalties has passed Committee stage in DáilFrances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs has today outlined to Dáil Éireann the progress made by her Department and the HSE in implementing her 8-point Pre School Quality Agenda. The Minister was speaking during question time.
The Minister stated: “During 2013 I have set about implementing a comprehensive Pre-School Quality Agenda, including putting in place much needed systems of support and regulation for pre-school services in Ireland. This includes securing an unprecedented allocation of €4.5m in Budget 2014 for quality measures; as well as major changes to the laws governing pre-school services.”
Minister Fitzgerald stated that her Pre-School Quality Agenda “represented an essential building block towards the possible introduction of a second universal free pre-school year which I have championed.”
The Minister added: “it is regrettable that I had to start from scratch with much of this work. Previous Governments may have pumped hundreds of millions into the bricks and mortar of childcare facilities but nothing into supporting the people who make up the staff of these facilities or to improve quality standards.”
The Minister today told TD’s that as part of Budget 2014 allocations, she was providing funding of €1.5m in 2014 to support training for staff already working in the sector to meet the new qualification requirements being introduced from September.
The Minister updated TD’s on the publication of pre-school inspection reports, stating: “As promised, for the first time we have begun publishing pre-school inspection reports on the Pobal website. As of today, there are 1,672 pre-school inspection reports now online. This includes the first 12 new reports, with many more now to be uploaded.”
The Minister told TD’s that the HSE is currently at an advanced stage of recruiting 5 additional inspectors in areas where gaps had been identified:
o Louth (post to be filled this week)
o Dublin South/East Wicklow (two inspectors being recruited for here)
o Cavan/Monaghan
o Sligo/Leitrim/ West Cavan
The Minister stated: “In additional to this current recruitment, I have allocated €500,000 in 2014 to further increase staffing levels to strengthen the national pre-school inspection system.”
Minister Fitzgerald also outlined her plans for establishment of a National Quality Support Service for pre-school services. She stated: “I secured funding of €2.75m in Budget 2014 to establish a new National Quality Support Service. This service will employ graduates in early childhood care and education who will work directly with services to improve quality including supporting services to implement the Siolta and Aistear frameworks.”
The Minister further confirmed that the Dáil has recently agreed committee stage amendments to the Child and Family Agency Bill
• to introduce statutory registration of all pre-schools services
• to introduce a range of new enforcement powers for inspectors at pre-prosecution level: Inspectors will be empowered to specify improvement conditions with which a service must comply, and the threat of removal of registration (i.e. closure) will be available to them.
• to increase the penalties at District Court level for an offence under the Act to a maximum class A fine (i.e. €5,000 instead of €1,270)