Creche checks fall 30% in just two years
Figures revealed at the latest HSE South regional health forum confirm that, since 2011, the level of checks in the sector have plummeted. Two years ago, 745 inspections took place in the area, which spans all of Munster and the South East. In 2012, the inspection rate fell to 612 — before falling even further, to 138 check-ups, in the first three months of this year.
If the January to March slump continues, a 2013 year-end rate of 552 is likely. This means there will have been a near 30% drop in the checks in just two years.
Between 2011 and the end of March, inspections fell from an average of 14 checks per week in 2011 to just 10 per week in the first three months of this year.
And while Health Minister Dr James Reilly and Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald have moved to reassure the public that children are being kept safe, Opposition parties have claimed the move is the result of an over-stretched and under-resourced inspection system.
The latest figures show:
* West Cork: 25 creche inspections in 2011, 32 in 2012, and one between Jan and Mar 2013;
* Kerry: 76 in 2011, 62 in 2012, and 13 between Jan and Mar 2013;
* Waterford: 44 in 2011, 39 in 2012, and six between Jan and Mar 2013;
* Carlow/Kilkenny: 80 in 2011, 27 in 2012, and seven between Jan and Mar 2013.
While no figures have been made available for the rest of the country, Fianna Fáil children’s spokesperson Robert Troy said the HSE South situation is almost certain to mirror problems elsewhere.
“It’s quite obvious there’s not enough inspectors in the system, and considering what was reported on Prime Time this latest information is very disturbing,” he said.
“Every creche should be checked at least once a year, but this isn’t happening.
The fact is, as the health committee has been told, there are more animal welfare inspectors in the country than early years services inspectors.
“Minister Reilly talks about publishing inspection reports online from next month. But if you don’t have enough inspectors to check all creches, there’s no point because you can’t publish information you don’t have,” he said.
As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, concerns were raised over the fact there are currently just six creche inspectors in the HSE South, and 37 nationally. This compares to 1,093 creches and early years services in the HSE South and approximately 4,700 across the country.
In addition to the creche inspection rates, the latest HSE South figures also found there has been a drop in review and follow-up visits in the Munster and South East region.
According to the figures, there were 154 follow-up checks in 2011, a figure which fell to 122 last year.
In the first three months this year, a total of 28 review checks took place — a rate which equates to 112 for a full 12-month period.
