Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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254. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with the ECCE scheme service providers regarding the need to ensure that children who are not toilet trained will be allowed attend their crèches; if he will ensure that crèches have sufficient funding and resources to ensure that staff have time to take children out of the room to change nappies and also to install nappy changing facilities in crèches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44420/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Pre-school services are governed by Part VII of the Child Care Act 1991 and by the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016.

The minimum adult: child ratios for services providing full day care, part-time care and sessional care are set out in the these Regulations. The minimum ratio for children availing of sessional pre-school services in the age category 2.5 years to 6 years is 1 adult to every 11 children. 

The responsibilities of a person carrying on a pre-school are also set out the existing Regulations. These stipulate that, inter alia;

‘A registered provider shall, in providing a pre-school service, ensure that—

(a) each child’s learning, development and well-being is facilitated within the daily life of the pre-school service through the provision of the appropriate activities, interaction, materials and equipment, having regard to the age and stage of development of the child, and

(b) appropriate and suitable care practices are in place in the pre-school service, having regard to the number of children attending the service and the nature of their needs.

The  universal ECCE pre-school programme is available to all children. Children who have turned 2 years and 8 months before September in a given programme year are eligible to enrol. More than 100,000 children – or 96% of the eligible cohort – enrol in this programme each year.

Toilet training  and nappy changing facilities have not emerged as major issues for pre-school services delivering the programme or for children accessing the programme.

First 5, the whole of Government Strategy commits to undertake a review of the ECCE programme and, subject to findings, consider the need to make changes to the programme. This review will provide an opportunity to explore a range of issues, including these issues raised by the Deputy. A request for tender to undertake this review will issue shortly.

If there is an individual instance where a family has been unable to secure an ECCE place, the family should be directed to the local CCC who will provide all available supports and can liaise with a provider where necessary. A list of CCCs and contact details is available at myccc.ie.