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

There are four children in each unit and they are dealt with on a one-to-one basis. Therefore, approximately 25 staff have been employed in the centre because the rosters have to be covered in order that the young people in question have one-to-one care. They are in the centre and safe. There is a significant number of staff and significant monitoring. Care plans are being made in association with their parents and the staff to find an alternative placement for them.

The United Nations is behind in hearing the reports on individual countries, but we are ready, whenever that happens. I have addressed the question on adoption and tracing.

With regard to question No. 10, the Senator asked about the recommendations of the special rapporteur. She made the point well about there being many reports and recommendations and questioned what had happened do them. In this area, as we witnessed earlier in the context of the report on maternity care, there can be many recommendations, but what happens to them is an issue. We commissioned research which will be published within the next few weeks. I read a draft report on the issue by Ms Helen Buckley. We asked her to address the issue of all the reports that had been compiled on children and how effective inquires, tribunals or reports were and what had happened to the recommendations made. She and a colleague have a written a report on the reports and made a series of suggestions on how to avoid having many recommendations not being implemented and the approach that needs to be taken to ensure that does not happen. The intention is to review current monitoring and reporting mechanisms and have a new framework in order that whenever a series of recommendations is made, we apply the framework. This will mean that reports will not lie on shelves. I take the Senator's point that it is no good having reports if they are not implemented. Ms Buckley's report will offer a positive way of addressing that issue.

The Senator also raised the issue of youth work funding. According to the comprehensive review of expenditure, €2.9 million will be taken from youth funding this year. I agree with the Senator that youth services have had serious financial issues to deal with since 2007. However, administrators are doing a good job. I would prefer if there were no cutbacks to youth services this year, but whether I can arrive at that point is entirely a budgetary question. Clearly, there are priorities in every area and despite the improved budgetary outlook in the context of the overall financial position of the State and while I would like to invest in youth services, we are still in a scenario where we must find savings of almost €3 million. I will do my best to ensure the figure is less than this, but that is what was outlined in the three-year programme.