Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank both the Chairman and Senator Devine for bringing this to our attention. Reading the reports yesterday in advance of the meeting, I found the different ones alarming, the worst being, I suppose, that with regard to the midlands with 20 of the 26 needing improvement and six with significant risk, but also the area of concern to Senator Devine, with five with significant risk and 20 out of the 26 requiring improvement. I note the others as well, for example, Donegal with 16 out of 26 requiring improvement and Cavan-Monaghan with 18 out of 26 requiring improvement. All of them are alarming and it is not only in one part of the country that is affected. There is also what Ms Dunnion told us today, for example, that there are 465 children with no social worker allocated at the end of 2016. We want to see what can be done about it. Clearly, it is a situation that cannot be tolerated. These are some of the most vulnerable children.

The other aspect, that would worry me and probably worries the Chairman, is that we need more foster parents and they need to be assured that they will be adequately supported when they are doing this important work.

What Ms Dunnion is asking us, first, is that there needs to be regulation. She referred to the fact that there is no regulation. The other questions that others have asked are around what happens when HIQA alerts Tusla to risk to children. The lack of vetting is a big part of that. Does HIQA monitor what happens after that? Can it monitor and ensure that something happens to ensure that children are protected?

The other issue concerns the question of staffing. Ms Dunnion stated that there is an issue around temporary management posts and risk management being underdeveloped.

Perhaps the witnesses will tell the committee what we should be recommending in terms of what needs to be done because it is absolutely clear that the current situation is putting children significantly at risk and especially the most vulnerable children.