A childcare provider in the southern region of Dublin, Padraig O’Connor, has avoided a criminal record after he interfered with a Tusla inspection, and agreed to contribute €2,000 to the prosecution’s expenses. He admitted to two violations under the 1991 Childcare Act at the Dublin District Court. The offenses, instigated by the child and family agency, could’ve led to hefty fines of €10,000 and court convictions.
Judge Anthony Halpin took into account on Monday that O’Connor fulfilled his financial obligations towards the prosecution costs, made three weeks back, and chose to apply the Probation of Offenders Act, saving him from a permanent conviction. The judge commented that the legal restrictions surrounding such prosecutions, which could result in childcare providers being removed from the registry, are excessively harsh.
Charges against O’Connor included impeding a Tusla inspector and offering preschool services without registering as an early years service provider. These charges originated from an inspection at Little Puddles Childcare in Glandore Park, Glenageary on July 28, 2022.
Morgan Shelly BL, representing Tusla, stated that the agency agreed to drop three similar charges if O’Connor pleaded guilty to the remaining two. It was mentioned that the childcare service that O’Connor and his wife ran was authorised for school-age children but didn’t possess accreditation for preschool provision.
Tusla inspector Ide Cronin testified to Judge Halpin that she had a warrant and noticed that eight children between the ages of two and four were present. She stated that O’Connor was hostile, and yelped, “you are infringing on my constitutional rights”, and declined to share the parents details. Police had to step in to aid the Tusla official in locating the parents.
On a separate occasion, O’Connor hosted seven children between the ages of two and four, asserting that he didn’t require registration as it was a “summer camp”. Mr. Shelly refuted these claims, arguing that a summer camp for preschoolers demands registration or temporary registration. Upon being questioned by the defence counsel, the inspector acknowledged her satisfaction with the level of care provided at the centre.