The department will assess the quality of education being provided at pre-school during a series of announced, one day visits to be carried out at the start of the new academic year.
The inspections will mainly focus on compliance with the two early childhood curriculum frameworks Aistear and Síolta, which address learning and development issues for children from birth to six years of age.
Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan, who worked in the pre-school sector before entering politics, has said that a budget of €600,000 will be spent this year on “the immediate recruitment of the first ever team of early childhood education inspectors.