Ms Frances Spillane:

As has been mentioned earlier, the Department of Health no longer has responsibility for child protection: it is with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla. There have been foster care regulations since 1996, as far as I know, as part of the modernisation of our child protection services and the investment that has been made over the years, including the setting up of a separate child care agency. I would have to check out the point the Deputy made about fitness to practise and whether the legislation applies to the period before the legislation was commenced. I would also have to confer with colleagues in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in regard to revisions of the foster care regulations. As I worked in that area at one time I do know that it includes a lot of safeguards like visits by social workers to the homes on a regular basis.