Inspection of 9 June 2026 — Inspection Report
Regulation 8 — Notification of change in circumstances
- (1) (3) At time of inspection, the registered provider had not informed the Agency in writing that the service was operating outside of the service registered hours of operation 08:50 to 13:20 hours. The service current hours of operation are from 08:30 to 13:30 hours each day Monday to Friday
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider has received an acknowledgement of receipt of submission from the Agency therefore the service has formally notified the Agency in writing of the change in the services operating hours. The registered provider has reviewed the requirements for notifying Tusla of changes to the service registration details. She has implemented a procedure to ensure that any future changes to the hours of operation or other notifiable registration changes are submitted to the Agency through the Change in Circumstances process in advance
Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- • There was no suitable sleep equipment for children to sleep in the service at time of inspection. Sleep equipment is required in a part-time service to accommodate the needs of the children that require sleep
Provider's corrective action:
- • The registered provider has purchased suitable sleep equipment and bed linen for any child who requires sleep while attending the service. The equipment has been ordered and will be in place and available for use in the service before children return following the summer break on 24th August 2026. A Sleep and Rest Policy and a Sleep Equipment Procedure have been implemented. The Registered Provider has introduced procedures to ensure suitable sleep equipment is maintained, inspected regularly, cleaned after use and remains available to meet the needs of any child requiring sleep while attending the service
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- 1. At morning break, it was observed that the service was not adhering to the healthy eating policy as some children were observed eating unhealthy foods such as crisps and large yogurt cartons with chocolate pieces. Staff members informed the inspectors that parents were informed by email and digital messaging app about the healthy eating policy. The services healthy eating policy stated children would have a choice between milk or water at snack times. There was no milk available to children. A child was observed to drink juice; this was at variance with the service policy. 2. The children did not receive a serving of prepared snacks at their second break which is a requirement for a part-time service
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The healthy eating policy was reviewed by the registered provider and all staff have been reminded of the importance of implementing the policy consistently and will ensure it is fully adhered to when the service reopens on 24th August 2026. Prior to the summer break, a reminder was issued to all parents. This outlined the services expectations regarding healthy eating and included examples of healthy lunch and snack options. Parents were informed that crisps, chocolate, sweets, sugary yogurts, and sugary drinks are not permitted in children's lunchboxes. Staff will check lunchboxes on arrival and, where an unsuitable food item is identified, parents will be reminded of the healthy eating policy and encouraged to provide suitable alternatives. From the reopening of the service on 24th August 2026, the service will provide milk to all children at snack times, along with water, in accordance with the healthy eating policy. Juice will no longer be provided or permitted during the preschool session. 2. Following the inspection, parents have been informed that children attending the part-time service have two healthy lunches each day to meet their nutritional needs during the preschool session. In addition, from 24th August 2026, the Naíonra will provide a prepared healthy snack to all children during the second break. Snacks will consist of nutritious options such as fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, wholemeal crackers, cheese or toast, with milk or water offered to all children. The updated healthy eating policy will be shared with all current and new families, and staff will implement it consistently. The person in charge will monitor compliance through regular observations of the food and drinks provided by parents/guardians
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. Children were observed to have whole grapes at the mid-morning snack which posed a choking risk. 2. Exposed electrical cables were observed to be loosely hanging from their wall sockets in the office section of the Naíonra room. The office was accessible and in reach of the children, posing a safety risk to children. Infection Control: 3. It was observed that perishable foods, such as strawberries, pizza slices and crackers with cheese, were not stored in the fridge. This posed a safety food risk. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The Healthy Eating Policy has been updated to state that grapes will no longer be served whole. Where grapes are provided, they will be washed and cut into appropriate size before being offered to children. Staff have also reviewed current guidance on reducing choking risks and will ensure that all food is prepared in an age-appropriate and safe manner. Again, the Healthy Eating Policy will be made available to all parents through both email and paper form. All staff have reviewed the snack preparation procedure and will follow it consistently. The person in charge will monitor snack preparation and mealtimes regularly to ensure the procedure is implemented and that safe food preparation practices are maintained at all times. 2. Before the service reopens on 24th August 2026, a safety gate has been purchased and will be installed at the entrance to the office section of the Naíonra room to prevent children from accessing this space. This will ensure that the printer, electrical equipment and associated cables remain inaccessible to children at all times, thereby reducing the risk of injury and improving the overall safety of the environment. Infection Control: 3. Following the inspection, perishable foods provided by the parents and service will be refrigerated appropriately to maintain food safety and prevent the risk of food spoilage. Staff will ensure that lunchboxes containing perishable foods are managed appropriately on arrival and that any foods requiring refrigeration are stored safely until mealtimes. A Food Storage Procedure has been developed and implemented to ensure all food provided by the service and by the parents /guardians for the children is stored safely and appropriately. Staff will continue to follow the Healthy Eating Policy, Snack Preparation Procedure and Food Storage Procedure as these are all interlinked
Regulation 25 — First aid
- On the day of inspection, while there was one staff member present who had a First Aid Response (FAR) certification. The date on the certificate indicated the certificate had expired and therefore no longer valid, posing a safety risk to the children in the event of an emergency
Provider's corrective action:
- Staff have completed First Aid Response (FAR) training course. All staff will be supported to maintain up-to-date FAR certification in line with regulatory requirements, ensuring the service continues to have appropriate first aid cover available for children in the event of an emergency
Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures
- (a) Fire drill record indicated that fire drills were not taking place monthly. The fire drill record indicated that the last fire drill took place on the 24 March 2026
Provider's corrective action:
- (a) A monthly fire drill schedule has now been put in place to ensure fire drills are completed and recorded consistently. Staff have been reminded of the importance of monthly fire drills and maintaining accurate records. Fire drill records will be reviewed regularly as part of ongoing health and safety monitoring within the service
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 16, 19, 28.