Crèches in RTE exposè will not be allowed to place JobBridge interns

The Department of Social Protection said none of the crèches which featured in the RTE Prime Time programme would be allowed to access the JobBridge internship programme pending outcome of investigations.

“In addition, access to JobBridge will not be available to any of the three firms regardless of location,” the Department said in statement. One company previously placed a JobBridge intern which finished in April, but this was not in the location featured in the Prime Time. The other two companies have not previously had interns, it said.

The statement came as the Dáil was earlier told that a Government website is offering “yellow-pack” job placements for unskilled workers in childcare facilities for €50 a week.

The House again this morning discussed the RTÉ Prime Time expose of apparent mistreatment of children, serious regulation breaches and lack of suitable qualifications among childcare workers.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald highlighted job adverts on JobBridge, the website of the Government’s national internship scheme, which she described as “yellow-pack posts”.

She said JobBridge was offering work placements in crèches including Giraffe childcare, one of the brands investigated in the documentary. The internships advertised for people “to work with children, with no experience, for €50 a week”, she said.

The Dublin Central TD asked Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore how the Government squared that advertising "with your proclaimed commitment to quality and safety for children".

She asked: “How is it that €50 a week for an unqualified, untrained person is appropriate from your Government? Why are these jobs advertised on JobBridge?”

In response, Mr Gilmore said there will be” no JobBridge approved” for any of the facilities named in the RTE programme”

He said the allegations of mistreatment and poor quality care in crèches was a very serious issue that had to be dealt with and “will be dealt with”.

The Sinn Féin deputy leader also accused Mr Gilmore of being “coy” on future and current funding.

She said the Tánaiste was being very careful with his language about State funding for crèches that are breaching regulations.

“We need to hear that the funding will be stopped. If you’re not prepared to say that very clearly Tánaiste then you’ve no prospect of restoring parents’ confidence and protecting the good reputation of the many good childcare facilities,” she said.

Mr Gilmore promised funding will be cut where standards are not being maintained. “This Government will not tolerate a situation where taxpayers’ money is being used to subsidise facilities that are not treating children properly.”

He said there would be a national regime on inspections and an analysis was being conducted on inspections already carried out.

Mr Gilmore said there were three facilities referred to in the TV programme. “Two of them have never had JobBridge interns. One did but that internship finished in April this year.”

But Ms McDonald said posts were being advertised today for people with no qualifications. “How on earth is that appropriate?”she asked.

Earlier, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin had called for funding to be cut from the crèches highlighted in the TV documentary, for the uncovering of serious breaches.

He asked if it was appropriate that the crèches under investigation should remain open or continue their pending the outcome of such investigations or without significant additional safeguards in place.

He also asked if the Tánaiste agreed that CCTV should be in every room in every crèche. And he said there was no clear timeline for the Children First legislation.

Mr Gilmore said the issue would be addressed with urgency and would be resolved quickly. He said the inspection reports would be published online for childcare facilities and he believed funding could and should be stopped for serious breaches. He said the inspection regime would be managed on a national basis and the ways in which that could be done was under consideration.

The Tánaiste said a system of registration would be put in place to replace the system of notification and would be done “in a reasonably short period of time”.

Mr Gilmore also agreed there should be CCTV in every crèche.