Regulation 22 in Wexford
Food and Drink: 9 non-compliance(s) in the latest reports we read.
An inspection records what inspectors saw on one day; services respond with corrective actions — how to read this.
19 May 2026
Blackstairs Community Playschool, Enniscorthy · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- The inspector observed the hot meal served to the children at 1.35pm. Of the 11 children who were served a hot meal the inspector noted many of the meals did not meet the national standards required. For example, there was processed pizza, waffles with sausages, chicken nuggets and processed potato pieces, and plain pasta with bread and ketchup. National standards for preschools require services to provide a hot meal to children attending on a full day care basis. This meal should consist of food from three food groups. For example, rice / potato / pasta, with a vegetable /salad, and a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans
- Children were also observed drinking large quantities of juice which was contrary to the healthy eating policy which asks parents not to include fruit juices in their children’s lunches
Provider's corrective action:
- Following the inspection the findings in relation to the provision of hot meals were shared with parents by e mail. Information was also on provided on suggestions in relation to providing a variety of alternative hot meals for the children based on national health promotion literature which was also shared with parents
- The provision of juice in the service was discussed with parents, and the healthy eating policy was shared with parents to remind them that juice is discouraged ion the service
22 April 2026
Askamore Childcare Centre CLG, Gorey · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- 1. Staff members provided conflicting information to the early years inspectors on what alternative healthy food was provided to children who didn’t eat the hot meal provided by the service. Through the CAPA process, the registered provider stated that staff were made aware of new healthy eating policy. However, the practice of the service regarding alterative food remained unclear and inconsistent with staff members. In discussion with a staff member in the Butterfly room, they advised where a child did not eat their dinner they would be provided with beans, spaghetti or crackers from the dry food box. In discussion with a staff member in the Toddler room, they advised that management would travel 10 minutes to the local village to get the child a sandwich. These practices remain inconsistent and the actions submitted by the registered provider were not implemented. 2. The services information in the healthy eating policy and parent’s handbook provided to the inspectors was conflicting with the practice observed during the inspection. The policy stated that ‘lunch, dinner and tea’ was supplied by the service, where dinner was the only meal which was supplied by the service
Provider's corrective action:
- 1 & 2. We will ensure staff read and understand the healthy eating policy in place and the healthy eating policy along with an alternative food procedure will be displayed in each room. The alternative procedure will include a timeline for each room as to when to offer the alternative hot meal, what will be offered as a hot meal and the portion size of each meal as per child. There will be a 5-day menu of what is offered as an alternative meal each day to ensure that it is not the same alternative offered to children each day and that the food is varied and offers substantial nutritional value each day. The alternative menu will be review periodically to ensure that alternative meals are suitable for children. We will ensure that staff read and sign that they have read and understand policy in relation to healthy eating and also the procedure in relation to the alternative meals, these will also be displayed in each of the care room
9 October 2025
Little Scholars Montessori, Wexford · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- There was one child attending on a full day care basis. They had their main meal at 12:30. They had a meal consisting of cold pasta with cheese. National standards for preschools require services to provide a hot meal to children attending on a full day care basis. This meal should consist of food from three food groups. For example, rice / potato / pasta, with a vegetable /salad, and a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans
- There was a child attending on a part time basis who was given a snack at 12:30 consisting of dry crackers and juice to drink. This snack was not sufficient to meet their nutritional needs as children attending on a part time basis are required to have a snack consisting of food from 2 food groups
- The children were observed to drink a high quantity of juice on the day of the inspection. This practice posed a risk of tooth decay for the children
Provider's corrective action:
- 1.2. There is now a healthy eating policy in place which has been shared with the parents. The service will continue to encourage parents to provide healthy choices of food for their children. Information leaflets have been displayed in the service and shared with parents via the mobile phone application in place in the service
- The service will continue to encourage milk or water as the main drink served to children in the service
12 September 2025
Little Giggles Playschool, Enniscorthy · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- 1. Large numbers of the children’s drink bottles contained juice. This practice posed a risk of dental decay. 2. A number of the children’s lunch boxes contained items such as popcorn, crisps, chocolate snacks, biscuits and sugary snack foods which was not in line with the service’s healthy eating policy
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action A newsletter highlighting the importance of healthy, including the Healthy Eating guidelines http://www.safefood.net/Healthy-Eating/Childrens-Food-Pyramid-(1) with a healthy eating policy was emailed to parents. The Safefood Healthy eating lunchboxes for preschoolers leaflet HSE was sent home in children’s bags. Upon enrolment, the full Healthy Eating policy will be given to parents, so they are aware of the foods not permitted to help parents understand and encourage the importance of healthy lunches / snacks / meals for children’s daily health
16 January 2025
Bri Beag Childcare, Enniscorthy · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- On the day of inspection water was not freely available to the children. In conversation with the staff, they advised that drinks are only available to the children at meal and snack times
Provider's corrective action:
- Children have free access to their own water bottles at any time during the day. If they do not have a bottle, staff encourage the children to request a glass of water. When the children are playing outside, staff will bring the whole class to grab a drink and go back to play. There are trolleys with a jug of water and cups available to children at all times. Also, children can access their own bottle of water at any time while in Brí Beag
11 November 2024
Firefly Childcare, Gorey · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- The inspector observed that some of the foods available to the children were high in sugar or salt and inadequate to meet nutritional requirements for a full day care setting. This was evidenced by the following observations on the day of inspection:
- Many of the children in the ECCE room had large bottles of juice to drink. Juice drinks are not recommended in preschool services as they can cause tooth decay in children
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action 1. Parents were sent the healthy eating policy and asked to send water only to drink. A note regarding healthy lunch boxes was also sent. If the issue persists, we will provide the drinks to the children as needed. Summary Comment The requirement of the regulation is met
31 October 2024
Wonderland Childcare Centre FDYS, Enniscorthy · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- Parents provided all snacks and hot meals for the children attending the service. While the service has a healthy eating policy, some of the food observed on inspection did not meet the requirements for children attending a preschool service, for example:
- Many of the children were observed having snacks which were high in sugar, for example chocolate spread sandwiches for their morning snack
- A child who was 18 months old was observed drinking juice from a bottle. This practice is contraindicated for tooth decay in young children
- Children in the creche room were given juice to drink throughout the day of inspection from beakers provided by their parents
- Some of the hot meals did not provide adequate nutritional balance and were highly processed, for example one child ate a meal of noodles and sausage. Another child had pasta and cheese which was reheated in the microwave as their main meal of the day. Children attending a full day care service are required to be provided with a hot meal. This meal should consist of foods from at least three food groups. For example, rice/potato /pasta, a vegetable or salad, and a protein meat, fish or beans. The main meals observed on the day of inspection did not meet this requirement
- There was no evidence available to demonstrate that the service had communicated the nutritional requirements and healthy eating policy to parents
Provider's corrective action:
- Foods high in sugar are now put back in the children’s lunch boxes and not given to them to eat in the service
- Parents have been informed that children will only be given milk or water to drink from bottles going forward
- Juice will no longer be provided for children in the service. 4.5 Parents have been informed the standard of food provided on the day of inspection did not meet the standard required. Parents have been informed of the standard of food required and have been provided with information leaflets which outline the standard required. The service will keep a supply of food in the service to give to children if their snack or meal is not sufficient to meet their nutritional requirements
17 October 2024
Daisy Daycare Creche, New Ross · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- The dinner served to the children on the second day of inspection was not adequate to meet their nutritional needs and did not meet the national standards required. The meal consisted of pasta mixed with a processed sauce. The nutritional standard for a hot meal in a preschool service requires every hot meal to contain foods from three food groups. On reviewing the 4-week menu the inspector noted one of the meals provided by the service was sausage and chips. This meal is not adequate to meet the national standards required for a hot meal served to preschool children
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider has replaced the meal served on the day of inspection with a meal provided by an outside catering company. This meal consists of a vegetable and pasta gratin with pasta. Sausage and chips will continue to be served in the service as it is popular with the children. The registered provider will ensure it continues to be served with baked beans to ensure it meets the nutritional standards required
8 March 2023
St.Brigid's Community Playgroup, Wexford · Regulation 22 — Food and drink
- Food and snacks observed eaten by children was not in line with the Food and Nutrition guidelines 2004 and the service’s healthy eating policy. Children were observed drinking sugary drinks and juices, chocolate snacks and bars, yogurts with chocolate, processed snacks, crisps, popcorn and biscuits
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action: The service will provide snacks for the children. Preventative Action: The service will provide snacks for the children. Evidence Submitted: Menu attached. Summary Comment The requirement of the Childcare Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 is met