Inspection of 8 July 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for the staff members. However, one of these vetting disclosures was not dated within the previous three years and was not in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice Infection Control: 2. The mechanism in the pedal operated bin in the baby nappy changing area was broken, which required the lid to be opened by hand, posing a risk of cross contamination. 3. Children’s hands were not washed after nappy changing. The nappy changing procedure in place in the service did not contain the requirement for children’s hands to be washed after nappy changing posing a risk of cross contamination to children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. Garda Vetting was applied for and obtained for the staff member. Regular checks will be carried out on the staff files to ensure vetting occurs every three years. Infection Control: 2. A new pedal operated bin is now in place. Broken items will be replaced as soon as management are advised of the issue. 3. The nappy changing policy and procedure has been updated and all staff have received a copy. The manager will review policies annually to ensure they are in line with the requirements of the regulations
Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures
- (1)(a) A record of fire drills was kept by the service with the most recent drill carried out on 23 June 2025. However, records demonstrated that in the period from January 2025 to July 2025, there was no fire drill carried out on the premises in March or May 2025. Fire drills should be carried out monthly to ensure children are familiar with evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency
Provider's corrective action:
- A yearly schedule of fire drills has been created to ensure drills are carried out monthly. Management will monitor to ensure compliance
Regulation 29 — Premises
- (d) On the day of the inspection, there appeared to be visible signs of deterioration to the outer envelope of the pre-school building. Part of the masonry overhead the children’s outdoor play area in two locations was cracked and visibly defective. Perceptible cracks had also formed on one external wall of the building’s façade. The service manager informed the inspectors that tests carried out on the building had confirmed the presence of defective blockwork in part of the pre-school building. The manager furnished the inspector with a civil engineer’s report outlining that annual surveys and maintenance checks are being carried out to ensure the safety of the building
Provider's corrective action:
- Checks are carried out annually by our engineer and action is taken on her guidance with any safety and maintenance issues in relation to the defective blockwork. All cracks are filled as soon as they appear, the manager and deputy manager have taken note of each crack as it appears
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 15, 16, 19, 24, 25, 28.