Early years services are legally required to renew their registration with Tusla every three years.
Tusla has said services “cannot continue to operate without renewing their registration, or completing an application for registration”.
The agency said its registration team is working through the weekend to assist providers, ensuring they submit the relevant documentation so they can open on Monday, “to minimise any disruption to services in the coming days”.
The Federation of Early Childhood Providers (FECP) has called for a meeting with Tusla and the Department of Children to resolve the issue, ensuring the providers will be able to open as normal on Monday.
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News in 90 seconds, Sunday, January 11
FECP chairperson Elaine Dunne told the Irish Independent the impacted providers were contacted by email in recent days, and the issues mainly relate to garda vetting.
“We are calling on Government to override the Department of Children, step in here and ensure that early services are garda vetted, that we’re prioritised for the garda vetting from here on in.”
Garda vetting services for registered early years services providers have been managed by Tusla since last February, having previously been managed by Early Childhood Ireland.
Ms Dunne called for a grace period for the impacted providers so that they are allowed to open their doors on Monday morning, ensuring there is no disruption for children and their families.
“You’re talking 50 children in one service, another service with 70 children. They [Tusla] need to be realistic about what can happen, and we’re calling for them to ensure that these services open in the morning, to ensure that the parents and children are looked after.”
Tusla said it has set up a dedicated helpline, open today from 10am to 4pm, which can be contacted on 061 440 616 or by email at ey.registration@tusla.ie.
“In relation to the 17 services who have incomplete renewals, they include providers from across the country who are in a process to renew their registration, and it would not be appropriate to provide further detail at this time,” a Tusla spokesperson said.
“We are hopeful that most of the providers will engage with the registration team and their registration will be complete before Monday, avoiding service disruption.
“It isn’t appropriate to comment on individual provider’s materials, in general the incomplete documentation relates to garda vetting and/or other documentation.”