Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Dunnion. This, I suppose, came on the back of reading the report on Dublin South Central, which is my home area, and being shocked by it.

I have several points. Ms Dunnion's report is comprehensive, but there are some aspects of foster care I would not necessarily understand and I ask her to bear with me. I have been trying to match a grandmother with two young babies via Tusla since last September. There does not seem to be recognition of an infant's growth each day and an urgency in trying to get the foster placement with the family so that these infants have a family nurturing environment to go to. That is not within Ms Dunnion's remit, but that is one case. Babies can be six months old or eight months old in foster care when there is a willing grandmother sitting back waiting to embrace them, bring them up and rear them while her daughter gets her life on track. It is important that they maintain links. Sometimes it seems to the detriment of the child but in most cases, it is not. It is for the betterment of the growth of the child. Some 94% of the placements are with Tusla and 6% are in private placements. Ms Dunnion might explain the private placements and explain the resources that are put into private versus Tusla placements and if the private placements are causing more concern than the Tusla placements, albeit they account for only 6%.

On regulation, would HIQA be able for and welcome regulation to strengthen HIQA's remit and provide more safeguards for children? What resources would go into that and what would HIQA need to expand to ensure that?

The report, in any case the Dublin South Central one that I read comprehensively, is not explained away by understaffing. I understand understaffing causes burnout and chaos in the services throughout health, and obviously, social care as well, but there seems to be some lack of leadership, whatever way one wants to put it.

What happens when HIQA escalates those significant risks to Tusla? Do they get immediate attention, and if so, what immediate attention do they get? As a member of the committee attending meetings for the past year, I note these issues have come up and they seem to get it so wrong repeatedly. We need to protect the children who we are meant to be caring for.