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child care
New laws on pre-school regulation in final stages
Under the new legislation, a range of new enforcement powers will be given to inspectors and all pre-schools will have to be registered.
A RANGE OF new laws aimed at improving quality and regulation of the pre-school sector is currently being finalised.
According to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald, the new legislation will ensure that high standards are being met.
Threat to remove registration
The new legislation will provide a statutory basis for registration of pre-school services and inspectors will have the power to specify conditions that a service must comply with. The new law will also have the threat of removal of registration available.
The regulation and inspection of pre-schools and creches came under the spotlight this year following an investigative programme by RTE revealed serious failings in some pre-schools.
She said the new legislation would “ensure that parents and the sector have the fullest confidence in the inspection and regulation systems”.
Offence
Speaking in the Dáil today, the minister said that in July the heads of the new legislation to amend the Child Care Act 1991 was approved by government. She added that under the new legislation the penalty for the offence will increase to a maximum Class A fine.
The minister said she hoped to bring the legislation before the Oireachtas during this term.
She added that, as of today, 914 pre-school inspection reports have been published on the Pobal website since July.
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