Gardai are to investigate the “appalling” treatment of children at a chain of creches exposed in a programme that has stunned the country.
While , the child and family State agency have said they plan to “use the full rigour of the law” as a response to the rough handling of tots at the Hyde & Seek Childcare service.
Director of Quality Assurance at Tusla, Brian Lee said he was sick to his stomach watching an undercover sting by RTE investigators into the standard of care at the Hyde & Seek Childcare chain.
Mr Lee said: “I can only assure you we will take full action, up to criminal prosecution, we have powers to proceed on that basis to remove the service from the register so that they can no longer operate.
“I’m actually quite angry [over] what I saw personally and sick to my stomach.
“What I really want to say and assure people is that I’m going to use the full rigour of the law and make sure the full rigour of the law is applied in this case.”
It has also emerged that the Garda Child Protection Unit at Mountjoy Garda Station will open an investigation with the support of the Tusla Social Work Unit into the the issues raised by the poor care standards at the creches.
A group of around 35 parents that have their children placed in the creches have said their trust has been betrayed.
A spokesperson for Hyde and Seek Parents Group said: “We are devastated by what was revealed by the programme.
"We trusted the creche to provide the standards of care it advertised and undertook to provide, at all times, and from all carers. This trust was badly misplaced.
“Furthermore, we trusted that the State, through the Department and its regulatory and oversight body (Tusla), would provide a framework within which the breaches of regulations broadcast last night could not occur.
“It appears that the current oversight system, even when it detects breaches, is inadequate to ensure that the same, similar, or more serious breaches do not occur again.
“This leaves us asking whether the system is fit for purpose. This is a question that must be answered not just for our children and for us,their parents, but also for parents throughout the country who often have no choice but to enrol their children in a childcare system that puts serious financial strain on many households.
“Our trust has been betrayed. We call on all parties concerned to immediately address how this happened, and to credibly explain how they will make amends.”
A statement from a PR firm on behalf of Hyde and Seek said the RTE show had raised “some real issues” and that the overall picture “painted does not reflect who we are, but there are specific issues we need to address and are addressing quickly.”
A spokesman said that they childcare chain plan to get in an external expert to review the management and service they provide.
He added: “One of the first changes we make will be the recruitment of a new manager at our Tolka Road creche, which was the focus of much of the criticism in the programme.
“We know we need to work to rebuild, retain and enhance the trust our parents have in us.
“We have taken some steps to deal with urgent issues. For example the fire safety issue raised, in relation to the layout of the cot rooms in two of our creches, has been resolved, and fire safety inspections in the past week have confirmed that to us.
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone has said she is “disgusted” over what she watched.
The Minister said: “I was appalled and horrified. I share parents’ distress at seeing young children being subjected to such abhorrent behaviour. I am disgusted by what I saw.
“Tusla’s enforcement activity is gathering strength and pace and my department will do everything it can to support further development.”
Meanwhile, a mother of one of the children who featured in the shocking programme said her son became anxious and nervous after attending the creche.
Moran Yitshak Aikalay told RTE: “He was confident and then I saw that he was not that confident and he came to me a lot.
“One of the symptoms I saw is that he wouldn’t want to go to sleep. He started to get upset and nervous and had anxiety.”
Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone has called for the disturbing revelations to be urgently addressed.
She said: “A company director would be jailed for much less than the abuse and disregard for standards we witnessed.
“I’m pleased to say the [Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs] will meet next week to discuss the issue.”
CEO of the Children’s Rights Alliance, Tanya Ward said: “Any childcare facility that continually flouts regulations must face sanctions, funding cuts and closure.
“What is striking for us is that there is no professional body for early years’ staff. So someone that harms a child can’t be struck off for malpractice. This has to change and needs to be a priority.”
