Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is right. It is if a report is made. I am happy to examine this area further. We are looking at the report published recently. This area is covered by inspectors from the Department of Justice and Equality, so the Minister has asked for a report based on the findings presented in the recent document to which the Senator referred. It is an area about which I am concerned. These children were excluded from many of the provisions relating to child care in this country. I will examine whether we can take some action to ensure the situation is more satisfactory and that there is more accountability and responsibility with regard to standards and the lives of these children. However, this area comes under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality.

It comes under very specific national and international legal obligations, and I do not know at this stage the outcome of those discussions. I plan to make the directors of such centres designated officers for the purposes of Children First, which will mean there will be proactive rather than reactive reporting of any concerns.