Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Having briefly had the opportunity to read through the infrastructure and capital investment plan, I have noticed what I believe to be a few gaping holes in it. There would appear to be a lack of investment in child care, given the public outcry for better facilities and access in this regard. The sum of €11 million a year in early years and youth projects is a pittance when looked at from an outside perspective and demonstrates a lack of will to invest in the youth of today, especially considering that a large percentage of that allocation is to be put towards the child detention facility in Oberstown.

From meeting a number of my constituents in east Cork, along with a number of stakeholders, we are all in agreement that early intervention is the way forward. A proactive approach is needed, rather than the reactive one which this Government seems to support.

Substantial investment is needed in the youth work sector. The work that these people carry out is invaluable and they need to be supported in their endeavours. Most of these workers get by with limited resources on a daily basis and still produce results when their hands are effectively tied. They work out of shoddy offices or no offices at all, working directly with the most marginalised and vulnerable young people in the country. With the funding the Minister has outlined to be allocated, how does he propose that these services are ever to become more effective in what is an already hugely strained sector?

I welcome the Minister's investment in Tusla, although I believe it falls somewhat short of what is required. Massive resources need to be freed up in order to allow social workers to do the already taxing and difficult work they carry out. The children to social workers ratio is well and above recommended levels. In practical terms, this allows social workers to meet with their assigned cases on an infrequent basis and can adversely lead to a breakdown of what was a workable relationship. The reality of what is needed seems to be alien and although these issues are acknowledged in this House time and time again, nothing much ever seems to change. A detachment from reality appears to be consistent across the board and is an all too recurring theme. Access visits between families tend to be conducted in these overworked office spaces, so money should be allocated to provide facilities that are welcoming and which allow these families to meet in a safe and comfortable environment, rather than in a dull and dreary office.

I hope that within the Minister's allocated finances, from whatever little will be left, moneys will be ring-fenced to support family resource centres. These centres also do great work in marginalised and disadvantaged areas, but they are struggling at both national and local level. They are grossly understaffed and unable to accommodate and support families that find themselves in situations of consistent poverty. Unfortunately, these numbers are still rising due to the policies prioritised by the Government. There is a significant need for investment in these areas to allow staff to have space to provide for these young people and families.

The €136 million being invested in our country's children is merely a token gesture over the course of the five years. It is quite simply a drop in the ocean when analysed and broken down. If the Government is truly serious about child care infrastructure and the aspirations towards a Scandinavian model, why allocate so little? Instead of cutting tax, adequate capital investment should be made available if we are to move forward and fix this in a way that is both sustainable and of benefit to working parents, or those who are hampered in returning to work due to astronomical costs.

Refugees are set to enter our country before Christmas. Minimal amounts appear to be allocated to address this matter, including services, their accommodation and other infrastructure. I have major concerns surrounding these areas also and especially the treatment of children who will be entering the country. These children are coming from war-torn countries, often having travelled for weeks on end, all of which could only leave these children with a mass of traumatic experiences. How are we going to cope with these children who need help to overcome their traumatic experiences when we are currently so under-resourced in this sector? More needs to be done in this regard and I call on the Government to revisit seriously and analyse a document that seems to have been compiled with disregard to the reality of ground-level services and amenities.

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