Regulation 30 in Westmeath
Minimum Space Requirements: 2 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.
14 May 2026
Bright Beginnings, Mullingar · Regulation 30 — Minimum Space Requirements
- 1. The service was found to be operating outside of its registered capacity as an additional five children were in attendance. The service is registered with Tusla to accommodate a maximum of fifty children in the premises. Fifty-five children were present on inspection on 14 May 2026
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The registered providers stated in the response that they responded to communication received from Tusla SOORS department. The response was accepted by Tusla and the case was closed. (Letter included) Summary Comment In respect of corrective actions taken documentary evidence was submitted to the office of the Early Years Inspectorate reviewed by the Early Years Inspector and deemed to meet regulatory compliance. The contents of the report are compiled by the inspectorate body. Additional Information A referral was submitted to TUSLA services operating outside of registration department (SOORS) on 18 May 2026 and accepted by the SOORS department on 21 May 2026. Acknowledgments The inspectors wish to acknowledge the co-operation of the registered providers, staff and children who were present on the day of the inspection
16 February 2026
Mullingar Montessori & After School Care Ltd, Mullingar · Regulation 30 — Minimum space requirements
- 1. Overcrowding was observed in Rooms 1, 2 and 3 on the day of inspection as evidenced by the following observations: • Room 1 -The clear floor space for the work, play and movement of children is 26.3 m². A maximum of eleven children aged 2-3 year can be accommodated. On the day of inspection eleven children aged 2-3 years and one child aged 3-4 years were present. • Room 2 – The clear floor space for the work, play and movement of children is 51.2 m². A maximum of twenty-two children aged 2-3 years can be accommodated. On the day of inspection twenty-three children aged 2-3 years were present. Staff members stated that the maximum numbers of children accommodated in Room 2 was twenty-four. • Room 3 - The clear floor space for the work, play and movement of children is 50.6 m². A maximum of twenty-two children aged 3-6 years can be accommodated. On the day of inspection twenty-four children aged 3-6 years were present. Staff members stated that the maximum numbers of children accommodated in Room 3 was twenty-four. 2. The service did not have sufficient indoor accommodation to provide for pre-school children attending Room 1 between 12:20 hours-13:15 hours and at 14:26 hours as observed by the following: • Twelve children aged 2-3 years vacated the room at 12:2 0 hours to create space for eleven children aged 2-3 years from Room 2, these children therefore, had no allocated room eat their second snack/meal. • At 14:26 hours six children were being prepared to vacate the room to create space for twelve school age children who were waiting in the outdoor play area to enter. The pre -school children were moved to the outdoor play area as Room 2, to which they were allocated, was not prepared to receive the children at that time as it was in the process of transitioning from a sleep room and some children were still sleeping. It is acknowledged Room 2 was available to accommodate the children when the room had reverted from sleep provision to a care room. 3. The service does not have sufficient indoor accommodation for the registered numbers of preschool children and school age children. The service is registered to accommodate a combined total of 202 children, 118 pre- school children and 82 school age children. There were six care rooms available, four of which were designated pre-school care and two care rooms for school age care children. On the day of the inspection there were 62 children aged 2-6 years and 65 children aged 4- 12 years (School aged care) present in the afternoon
Provider's corrective action:
- • The manager will verify on a daily basis throughout the day that not greater than 11 children are in Room
- • The manager will verify on a daily basis throughout the day that not greater than 22 children are in Room
- • The manager will verify on a daily basis throughout the day that not greater than 22 children are in Room
- 2. This routine has now been changed that Room 1 children stay in their room & room 2 children stay in their own room. The afterschool care children do not use this room until later in the afternoon. 3. The pre-school and afterschool Care services were registered separately which was completed a number of years ago when re-registration every 3 years was introduced. 118 pre-school children and 84 afterschool care children were registered. There is never 202 children at the school at any one time on any day. The afterschool care children are accommodated by a combination of both indoor & outdoor facilities with different parts of their daily routine taking place both indoors and outdoors. Rooms 2, 3, 4 are our full day care children & stay in these rooms all day. They have access to the same facilities in their rooms all day & have access to their own designated outdoor play areas. The pre -school children do not interact and do not share any of the same facilities either inside or outside with the afterschool children