Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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464. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will detail the reasons that inspection reports for child care facilities have not been published online to date, despite promises to the contrary; the reasons for the delay in publishing these important reports; her views on whether such a delay is acceptable; if she will provide an update on the creation of a register of child care facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32989/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Pre-school services are governed by the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 as provided for under the Child Care Act 1991. Pre-school inspections, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), are necessary to ensure compliance with the Regulations and the delivery of quality childcare services. In relation to the publication of pre-school service inspection reports, the HSE Pre-School Inspectorate is working to put these online. In the first instance the reports will be available from the Pobal website via a direct link on the HSE website. The commitment which I gave recently was to have new reports, once completed, put online from 1 July 2013 and this is being adhered to. I understand that the first of these will be placed online shortly. Work is ongoing to have reports on all services online by the end of the year and my Department is supporting the HSE and Pobal in this work. A new registration system will be introduced in September of this year and new services wishing to open will be required to register with the HSE. The HSE will determine whether the childcare service is compliant in terms suitability and service design before the service will be permitted to operate. Following commencement of the service, actual care and welfare practices will be inspected.