Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Gordon Jeyes and all of his team. It is good that we have the hearing today and it is great that we have received additional information. This is an area where there is cross-party and cross-group agreement with agencies about what the new agency should be. We are all very supportive of that. My difficulty lies in understanding its component parts and composition because I have no difficulty in agreeing to the principles and values behind it. If we look at past reports, they often talk about changes in culture and practice. In the absence of legislation, what is the status of the agency regarding contracts? Could Mr. Jeyes clarify whether the staff are being transferred or whether they will be new employees of the agency?

Deputy Troy mentioned phase one or phase two. I was tuned into the symposium yesterday where a public health nurse asked about public health nurses. The response related to phases one and two. That was new for me because I am trying to understand what phases one and two are. I cannot remember whether it was Mr. Jeyes or the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs who used these terms. Is there phasing? If not, I would appreciate some clarity.

Mr. Jeyes mentioned that he was tasked with social worker reform and that it was a work in progress. He then said that it is separate to the job he is now tasked with doing. I am a bit concerned about what happened to social worker reform because none of us would agree that we are in the place we wish to be. Deputy Troy mentioned the recent HIQA report, which is the fourth successive report that has pointed out deficits in that area. When Mary Flaherty from CARI appeared before the committee earlier, she spoke about different procedures in different parts of the country - something of which we are all too aware - for record keeping and data collection, which Mr. Jeyes also mentioned. If we are looking at remedying current issues, is there an opportunity to look at the 24-hour service which has been long promised and long talked about with the new agency? I read in paragraph 3.2 of Mr. Jeyes's presentation about the three direct steps from the national director. What is the current status-----