Mr. Gordon Jeyes:

I welcome the opportunity to update members on the work of Tusla. The establishment of the Child and Family Agency was a unique opportunity to act on the issues of accountability and transparency. There has been considerable progress in that regard, but achieving consistency remains more elusive and a work in progress. There are clear lines of accountability, as well as clarity in budget allocation and action being taken when services are not performing to expectation. This progress has been validated in reports and audits. The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, in its annual report for 2014 confirms progress in services in most parts of the country, while the Comptroller and Auditor General has audited and certified the financial statements for Tusla’s first year of operation.

In areas in which the guidance and practice of the service delivery framework are followed there has been significant improvement. In a small number of areas, however, there has been insufficient progress, even taking into account pressures on resources and in recruitment. In most of the country duty and intake arrangements have been reformed. While service pressures remain, unallocated cases are reviewed and prioritised. The number of cases, particularly those designated as a high priority, is reducing. An audit has recently been completed and the findings submitted to the Department for its consideration. There is a need to be resourced to intervene, screen, assess and allocate all appropriate referrals and increase local staff complements to ensure further backlogs do not occur.

In short, services are improving but the agenda for further reform is clear. The consolidation of services for children and families was the right way to proceed. Achievements to date are the result of political will and focused professional commitment from extremely hard-working colleagues. The pace of reform and improvement remains inhibited, however, by continuing financial and resource pressures both on the front line and in terms of corporate support, whether directly from Tusla or through shared service arrangements. Having survived the demanding circumstances of its first year of operation, it is necessary for the agency to move from establishment to sustainability. The experience of amalgamating three services with three very different cultures has been both challenging and enlightening. Now is the time to take stock, regroup and create a sustainable future.

As set out in the first appendix, how to build that sustainable future has been the focus of wide-ranging consultation with staff. Meetings have involved 25% of total staff, a detailed online survey and further discussions with partners. A report on the consultation will be brought to the board in 31 July, as will proposals for a streamlined, sustainable structure into the future. Significant progress has been made. For the first time, we have a clear picture of total investment in Ireland's most vulnerable children. A lot has been achieved, not least the provision of objective and validated HR, financial and performance data. There is clarity as to what has been achieved and the areas that need to improve. Some of the unknown unknowns are now known. We know what is required to introduce lasting sustainable change and the foundations are in place in that regard. A new legal entity was created with no additional investment. We accepted the discipline of austerity, but investment is now required.

The second appendix outlines our business plan. Further improvements have been designed and are being implemented. The business of agency establishment continues and that activity is now organised in line with the five key outcomes of the corporate plan, which is summarised in the appendix. I draw members' attention, in particular, to the fact that agreement has, at last, been reached on an out-of-hours social work service. Rotas are being drawn up and the service will go live in the autumn. In addition, after a range of technical difficulties to do with security have been addressed, the child protection notification system will be accessible to An Garda Síochána and emergency medical services on a 24-7 basis. That, too, is due to go live in the autumn. The vast majority of the business plan targets are on schedule, despite the fact that corporate support capacity is well below that available to comparator organisations.

The final appendix sets out the significant progress towards our aim of being a self-evaluating organisation. We are now able to report all aspects of service delivery, finance, HR, legal and impacts on the ground. A consultation is being completed on the development of a quality assurance framework. The principle of proportionate intervention has been established, not least through the ground-breaking activity in the midlands and in Louth-Meath. We believe in high support and high challenge.

In summary, establishing a legal entity at a time of austerity and no additional resources has been challenging. Despite those challenges, service accountability and performance continue to improve. Most recently, for example, education welfare services were restructured and realigned to address a number of challenges and reports regarding national leadership and governance over schemes and projects. More formal engagement with the voluntary sector has been promoted with the introduction of Meitheal and the establishment of commissioning services. The integration of three distinct organisations into a cohesive agency has been challenging, but much has been achieved in developing a single entity with a single focus on services for children and families.

The establishment of Tusla amounts to a significant step forward from past practice. However, the past is not the only benchmark; we need to do well by today's best standards and look to the future. There is clarity of information regarding services currently being delivered. There is clarity regarding the reform agenda required. It is clear, too, that improvement cannot be achieved without investment. At a time of austerity, commitment and dedication have delivered an extraordinary range of improvements. Looking ahead, however, the capacity to build on those improvements and provide a consistent service the length and breadth of the country will require not only continued dedication but also sufficient resources. Having made the progress we have, the lesson of the past is that we must never again let Ireland's vulnerable children down. Investment in our children is vital as we move from survival to sustainability. It is all about putting children first.