Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. McKiernan for that information, as this question has been asked a lot. My concern regarding the inspectorate regime and public health nursing is that staff come at this from a public health perspective, as do environmental health officers. For example, in a particular preschool there is a carpet, as opposed to a hard covering, in order to show children different textures and sensations, which is very important to a child's development. The facility was asked to remove the carpet because it posed a risk as a result of dust and dirt, etc., despite the fact that it was clean. This is a very obvious public health and environmental approach to a facility as opposed to considering a child's development and learning. I am concerned about that sort of approach being taken. That is not to say skills cannot be acquired or training cannot be provided. I am concerned about the nature of the guidelines being followed, which arise from a public health or environmental perspective rather than accounting for children's development.