Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As a parent of children in the child care setting, I found the "Prime Time" programme very disturbing, as did every other parent. It made us all wonder what is happening in our own service. In fairness, the majority of services throughout the country are excellent and provide a high standard of care, and parents are very conscious of what is going on. It is not only upsetting for parents themselves but also for many workers in these facilities who are working for very low pay and providing a very good service in a very difficult situation.

Some of the questions I wanted to ask have already been asked. Deputy Conway stole my thunder to a certain extent. Mr. Jeyes said there are on average four enforcement actions every year and he spoke about the challenges of getting convictions in those cases. The Minister pointed out that the ECCE payments have been suspended on a number of occasions. How frequently have they been suspended? Is it along the lines of the four a year that Mr. Jeyes mentioned? Are they based on the HSE inspections that are taking place? Are the public payments being suspended for serious failings within any part of the service or just in regard to the ECCE part of the service? It is important that incremental sanctions are applied depending on the level of breaches in particular facilities.

The economics relating to the preschool services throughout the country vary dramatically between the types of services provided.

There are different challenges relating to rents, rates, subvention, salaries, ratios and the cost of including children with disabilities and children from marginalised backgrounds, so there are an array of issues and different challenges relating to the different types of service available.

Following on from Deputy Conway's comments about after-school services, budget 2013 made provision for an after-school fund but there do not appear to be any guidelines on how that will be disbursed and operated or guidelines relating to the standards and inspections that need to be put in place. Could the Minister elaborate on that?

In respect of the mentoring programme, it is important that mentoring occurs right across the system from after-school down to the care of young children and not just in respect of the early childhood care and education service, because it is crying out for that level of mentoring. The providers are looking for that mentoring, which would be hugely beneficial to staff and management across the country.