Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his report. I wish to refer to page 3, which refers to the draft child care (preschool) regulations, which will strengthen the regulatory inspection powers of Tusla in regard to early years services. Preschool providers and other child care providers have complained to us about difficulties that arise for them in regard to two different groups coming in to them, an education-focused group and a group concerned with health. Has the Minister heard the complaint? If so, can he tell us his view on it and why we would be taking that track?

Yesterday in Leinster House a person complained to me that a number of preschool child care providers have refused to take her two-year-old child who has a severe nut allergy and needs to use an EpiPen. There is a policy in primary schools on children with a nut or other allergy and the use of EpiPens. What is occurring is very unfair. The lady is employed in the Oireachtas and has to take Mondays off to bring her child to the preschool. She hopes for a positive outcome. Could we examine this and formulate a policy on it?

The Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, the boards of management and the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, CPSMA, all came together to ensure that children in primary school could have the EpiPen administered to them.