Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome. I had not planned to comment on adoption and I know the committee will examine the issue after Easter but it is important. I contacted those monitoring the Hague convention and Ireland is at a median average for adoptions. We are not in an unusual position. If we examine the figures throughout the EU Ireland is not out of kilter. The reality, about which most people do not want to speak, is the children available for adoption have special needs and they are not being adopted. We will have a wider discussion on adoption but we need to put some facts out there when we speak about it. I have many concerns about how we handle it. We must hold the AAI under scrutiny, which is why I suggest to the committee it be invited before it.

The committee had a very positive meeting on the issue of aftercare. The NGOs came before the committee with departmental officials and this was a very good model. Speaking to individuals afterwards everybody commented it was good to hear one another as well as have an exchange with committee members. The committee will prepare a report on this.

I very much welcome the developments on special care placements, and I thank the Minister for her answer to my questions, but I am still concerned. The Minister's response stated only one child is waiting but I will continue to monitor this. We must maintain vigilance with regard to our alternative care model because these children are most vulnerable and the State has a strong role in ensuring their safety and welfare.

I look forward to hearing the Minister's replies to the questions of Deputies Troy and Ó Caoláin on Children First. I have concerns.

It is great that the Bill will move Children First to a legal basis and impose a duty to report. However, we are missing sanctions and enforcement. There is a reliance on professional bodies even though not all of those people concerned will be members of professional bodies that have procedures for taking action. In the Ombudsman for Children's 2010 report in response to the Ryan report, she examined the HSE. One of its areas was not implementing Children First because of trade union issues. I read the Bill wondering whether it would help an employer or the State if staff members refused to implement Children First. We must ensure that employers have the power to implement regardless of whether they are statutory bodies or other organisations. As the Bill goes through the Houses, we can explore these issues, but I would welcome the Minister's comments. It is a bit like setting speed limits when everyone knows no one will be checking. People will increase their speeds over time. This is my concern about the Bill. We all know what is morally right, but as humans we psychologically need to feel that, even if the chance is remote, we will be checked. This makes us more likely to keep within the lines.

I wish to ask a question about the Child and Family Agency that I raised during private session, namely, our opportunity to scrutinise and converse with it. During our quarterly meetings with the Minister for Health, we also meet the HSE. In terms of the agency, would this be an appropriate role for the committee? We should have a dialogue with the agency. How can we do that?

Yesterday saw the launch of "Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014–2020". It was a momentous day for children and a positive achievement. Well done to all involved. It sets out a vision and a policy. If I were just looking at the document's front part, I would comment on how visionary it was and that we could all buy into it, but the grid outlining the lead Departments, a whole-of-government approach and accountability for outcomes is welcome. As the Minister stated yesterday, this work starts now. We must grasp the thornier issues. Some need a nudge, but there are others to which everyone has an aversion or that are not easily solved. I look forward to developing the individual plans. The young people's organisations are concerned that they have not been heard. When we develop the young people's framework, we will be able to address the issues that have been raised. We have reason to be cautiously hopeful. It was positive that the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste joined the Minister when launching the document. That showed a whole-of-government approach, which is necessary for children.

I asked question No. 10 on child poverty. On Tuesday, I visited the Ballyfermot STAR project, which has a child care setting, provides drug treatment services and works with families. It is amazing. My visit showed me some of the realities of ratios in early years education. Sometimes, a staff member must go and collect a child because, if he or she does not, the child will not be able to avail of child care. This will upset the ratios. Where there are hard-to-reach children in areas, we must consider which funding model allows groups to work with families as well as children. The Ballyfermot STAR project runs a programme in which, over several weeks, it organises dinners at which families sit around a table and talk before engaging in workshops with the families. This is positive work.

In Ireland, we all have an innate belief that we value children. As suggested in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, though, we find when we probe deeper that the reality is we do not. However, it is great to see Children First on paper. At last, we have a launchpad from which we can do better for children.