A leading solicitor says he is confident the owner of a creche will be fully vindicated after the HSE alleged she had committed eight breaches of the Child Care Act 1991.

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald will come before the Oireachtas Health Committee today to discuss concerns over childcare facilities.

The Government is making a mockery of post-Ryan Report child protection vows by failing to address serious funding and staffing problems in the foster care services.

A minimum training standard for all childcare workers and a national registration system for providers will be introduced next year, the Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, said yesterday.

Yesterday’s report, coming as it did on the heels of the RTÉ exposé on rogue childcare businesses, that high rates of staff turnover in childcare settings are unsustainable, is another blow to the idea that this society prioritises the wellbeing of children.

High rates of staff turnover in childcare settings are unsustainable, it was claimed today.

An organisation representing 22,500 professionals is being launched today, following controversy in recent weeks over the standards of care in Irish crèches.

Childcare workers need access to a training fund and help to develop skills, writes Irene Gunning

The creche revelations were upsetting but not surprising, writes Heino Schonfeld

Education Correspondent Niall Murray says questions hang over regulation of creche standards

The HSE has released documents detailing hundreds of complaints made about creches last year.

The system of Garda vetting needs to change, writes John Byrne.

The Government does not need to set up any quangos to solve the problems besetting the Irish childcare sector — it just needs to offer more financial support, according to one creche owner.

State authorities partially shut a leading childcare facility earlier this year over food hygiene concerns.

The minister for children gave one of the creches at the centre of allegations of mistreatment a clean bill of health just a year earlier after parents reported another incident there to both the HSE and to the gardaí.

A 32-year-old mother of two appeared at Cavan District Court yesterday on charges of intentionally or recklessly causing harm to a 10-month-old girl on Mar 28 last year.

The number of children in creches has fallen enormously during the recession with an oversupply of childcare places in every county — but Cork has suffered more.

The Government has vowed to publish inspections of all creches in the coming weeks and to carry out a review of privately run childcare facilities.

The Data Protection Commissioner is warning against the installation of CCTV in crèches.

The Children's Ombudsman Emily Logan has said the sanctions for non-compliance with regulations on the running of creches need to be be re-examined.

A Garda investigation is continuing into the alleged physical abuse of children at three creches in Dublin and Wicklow.

Another creche scandal, more public outrage — and same old replies from HSE and government.

Children’s groups have demanded widespread changes to the administration and inspection of childcare settings after the Prime Time report raised serious concerns about the level of care being offered to families.

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay yesterday said the Dept of Education needed to take a hands-on role in the provision of childcare programmes following the Prime Time programme which highlighted shocking issues in the sector.

Gardaí have begun a criminal investigation into the alleged physical abuse of children which featured in Tuesday’s Prime Time documentary on creches.

New inspection reports on creches will be available online “in a couple of weeks”, Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald said yesterday as the HSE came in for strong criticism over the Prime Time programme exposing abuses within the system.

Children are getting lost in the emotional and legal turmoil of family breakdown, a leading children charity has claimed.

A creche has been ordered to pay almost €27,000 compensation to a Montessori teacher who was unfairly dismissed after allegedly slapping a child in her care.

The Government has confirmed that a Garda investigation is now underway into last night's Prime Time investigation into childcare facilities.

The Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald has promised that the HSE inspection reports into creches will be made available online within months.

The Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has said the revelation of child mistreatment at a number of creches is "extremely upsetting and distressing".

The Ombudsman for Children Emily Logan is seeking a meeting with the HSE to discuss her "serious concerns" about the care provided to children in creches.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny hass promised whatever measures necessary to stamp out the activities of children being abused in creches as exposed on 'PrimeTime' last night.

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald has described the mistreatment of children uncovered at three creches for an RTÉ documentary as emotional abuse.

Senator Jillian Van Turnhout says the Health Service Executive must respond to last night's Prime Time programme, which showed widespread breaches of HSE regulations at child care centres across the country.

Parents arriving at the Links Creche in Malahide have been defending the child care centre this morning.

The Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald is to make a detailed comment today on the contents of a Primetime Investigates programme broadcast on RTÉ last night which revealed widespread breaches of HSE regulations at child care centres across the country.

Standards have been set, they just have to be enforced, writes Claire O’Sullivan

Childcare organisations are calling on the Government to fund improved training of childcare staff as they try to dampen down a “crisis of confidence” created by revelations about substandard practice at three Dublin creches.

The Tánaiste has said allegations of children being mishandled and yelled at by staff at three Dublin creches will be given “highest priority”.

The Government is deeply concerned over allegations of mistreatment of children at a number of creches, the Tánaiste has said.