Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to welcome the students. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who is present is responsible for many aspects of their lives.

The issue I am raising is to do with young children, specifically, the pre-school in the Morning Star National School, Ballyphenane, County Cork, and the fact the pre-school has not be reopened. I thank the Minister for being here. It is a testament to the importance of this issue that he is here. I accept it is not the Minister's direct responsibility, but Tusla's, as I will explain later. That the Minister is here is a credit to him and underscores the importance he attaches to the matter. I thank him for that most sincerely.

I have been contacted by the parents of 15 young boys and girls, aged between three and four, who are waiting to attend pre-school. As the Minister will know well, early childhood development is very important. This pre-school has been doing huge work in the area for young children. I have spoken to the parents and to Mary, the manager of the pre-school. To say they are frustrated is an understatement. A small cohort is affected. As I said, it is 15 students. However, it is 15 young children who, in some cases, have developmental needs in terms of early development that needs to be progressed. The issue has been ongoing with Tusla since April of this year. As the Minister knows, Tusla is required to make the decision.

What has made the whole matter frustrating and disconcerting is that the pre-school in the exact same room was open until mid-April of this year. Due to a change of management and a change in use of a room in another school, the existing pre-school in Morning Star National School had to change its modus operandi. Mary, the manager, used to be based in Glasheen, but that had to close as the room was required. The opportunity arose for this pre-school to continue in Morning Star National School.The person in charge is of high calibre, great competency and much experience. Many of the parents just cannot comprehend the frustration being experienced now with what seems to be bureaucracy by Tusla at one level. I know the Minister is aware of the situation. I will describe the situation encountered by a parent whom I will not name. This person said they were concerned for their child's well-being and his mental health and understands, as a primary schoolteacher, the importance of school for his development. The communication continued by saying this person's son also has a speech and language delay, that he had made great progress since he had started preschool last year and that it is vital he returns to the school as soon as possible so he does not regress. This is the core of this issue. It is about progression and not regression.

I have spoken to many parents who have come to talk to me about this issue, and I thank them. It is hard to come by places in preschools. There had been an issue in this case with fire safety, health and safety risk assessment and planning permission. All those requirements have now been fulfilled and complied with by the management. Therefore, I hope we can see progress. Tusla is well aware of this matter and the issues with the building and the fire safety certificate. I believe there is an exemption from planning permission, an engineer visited the building to undertake a risk assessment, the fire brigade found adequate fire certification and fire exits are in situ.

This is a one-room classroom. There has been no change of use and it has a planning permission exemption from the city council. I have spoken to people in City Hall about this issue. The start date has been pushed back. We are in the first week of October and there is an urgent need to expedite this matter. I again thank the Minister for being here and I appreciate his genuine interest. I am speaking on behalf of the parents and the young boys and girls they are advocating for. I am also advocating for them in this important matter. I hope we can see this situation resolved for the sake of the young people themselves.