James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We all agree this is a new agency and it is only a couple of years since its establishment. Clearly, finding the level of funding it requires, and predicting the funding it requires, is more an art than a science for the first couple of years. I believe we have a handle on it now. I am pleased the agency was able to conduct the audit of unallocated places I requested of it and to produce and price a business plan. It is a realistic business plan as it is based on a three-year approach. People will complain that three years is a long time but this is an issue which has bedevilled successive Governments over many decades. To finally get a handle on it, to have a plan to deal with it and to be in a position to provide the agency with the money it requested for the first year of that plan, because of our recovering economy, is to be welcomed. I acknowledge Tusla's efforts in this regard; it has done a very good job. We have given the money and I met with the board in recent days. I have made it very clear that it is now up to the agency. I have every confidence in the agency to deliver. It has done a very good job to date.

The agency faces serious challenges. It must recruit many staff but due to the recovering economy, there is competition for talent, for social workers and others. The Department has supported the agency as far as it can with resources but now it is over to it.

We are here to debate the Supplementary Estimate and we will have an opportunity next week to debate the broader business plan and services, etc., more fully. The funding announced for 2016 is very close to what was sought by Tusla, the spending of which represents a major challenge for it. We have given it sufficient money and today is about the Supplementary Estimate. Tusla, not unlike the HSE, is a demand-led service. We cannot predict how many children will need to go into care. We cannot predict what issues will arise and many of the events which occur in our society are beyond the control of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

We seek to protect our children and I think we are all committed to that. I thank the members of the committee for their commitment to that. We all want to support the Department and Tusla in achieving the best outcomes for our children. I thank members for their comments. I do not know that it is particularly useful to over analyse what has happened but let us be clear I concur with Deputy Troy's concern about legal fees. My Department is developing policy around this issue. We are looking at best practice in the North of Ireland and elsewhere and it is an issue that does consume us because nobody wants to see money that has been allocated by the taxpayer for the care of children going into the hands of the legal profession, no disrespect to them.