Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their attendance today. It was a positive development to hear the views of the key stakeholders on the establishment of the new child and family support agency. I also acknowledge the passing of the referendum as a significant milestone and congratulate the witnesses on the role their organisations played in ensuring the electorate was aware of the benefits of passing the amendment to the Constitution. Second, I welcome the establishment of the agency, the need for which has received cross-party support and acknowledgement and to take up a theme raised by Fergus Finlay, a new agency under new management is positive and important. It is of critical importance to get it right from the outset and in this context I have some reservations or more accurately, concerns, regarding the lack of engagement with this joint committee in respect of framing legislation for the new agency.