Some 250 Health Service Executive (HSE) preschool inspection reports for Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim have revealed that only a small minority complied fully with care regulations.
None of the 169 annual and follow-up inspections conducted by HSE officers in Donegal between January 2004 and October 2005 found services to be fully compliant. In Sligo and Leitrim, 13 of 82 inspections over a 12-month period until September 30th last were deemed to be in full compliance with regulations.
Many of the issues highlighted in the reports - including inadequate sanitary facilities, fire procedures and records; insufficient heating and inadequate play areas - are broadly similar to those in inspection reports for Galway, Roscommon and Mayo.
These were published by The Irish Times for the first time last week, and found that more than 85 per cent of those inspected were in breach of the regulations.
Among other issues published in the reports, which relate to unannounced inspections in Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo, are:
Dangerously hot radiators with the risk of burning; dirty premises, sometimes with damp and mould problems; inadequate staff/child ratios, including the incorrect use of trainees when calculating same; unhealthy food menus; inadequate training in guidelines to prevent sudden infant death; fridges not working properly, and children playing in an unsupervised or dangerous fashion.
The inspection reports have been released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act. Unlike other HSE areas, the HSE North West did not seek search and retrieval charges before releasing the reports.
Parents are not legally entitled to have access to the reports, but can request them from individual service providers.
In Quigley's Point community playgroup in Donegal, inspectors in February 2004 highlighted the risk of vermin as a result of refuse being burned at the rear of the hall in which the playgroup operates.
Milanda McAuley, playgroup leader, said she had brought this to inspectors' attention herself and it had been rectified. The service has since moved to a temporary prefabricated building and is seeking funding for a new facility.
In Kid Kare in Ballyboyle, Donegal, inspectors in December 2004 noted that most meals consisted of processed food or foods with a high salt content.
Sharon Graham, its owner, said parents were at all times fully aware of the menus which were provided to children. These menus had since been amended.
Since she first opened in 2002, she had worked with the HSE to address any issues which had arisen. This is supported by subsequent inspections by the HSE.
A written complaint was submitted by then chairwoman of Inver community playgroup in Donegal, after her child was left with a scar from dangerous shelving. Sinead O'Donnell told The Irish Times she had made the complaint because she felt these dangers had been missed during inspection visits.
The preschool childcare regulations 1996/1997 are widely regarded as basic in nature and are currently the subject of a review.
Creche inspections: sample quotes
"Refuse generated by other groups is being burnt to the rear of the hall, this is unacceptable as not only does it give rise to a nuisance, it also attracts vermin." - (Quigley's Point Community Playgroup, Co Donegal, February 10th, 2004)
"We would again request that you submit in writing your action plan to upgrade the premises as soon as possible. These works . . . refer to kitchen and sanitary accommodation." - (Kilmacowen Community Playgroup, Co Sligo, September 21st, 2005.)
"It is recommended that surface temperature of radiators should not exceed 50 degrees C. At time of inspection one radiator had surface temperature recorded at 69 degrees C." - (Tiny Toppers, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, February 9th, 2005.)