Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank both groups for their work. Their compassion and passion for our vulnerable children comes through clearly. Does EPIC agree with the statement that, given the emotions of children, institutional care is of a lesser quality than direct foster care in a home? There has been an increase in the number of children under 12 being placed in institutional care. Is that due to the lack of foster carers or is there another issue?

I refer to difficulties for foster carers with birth parents. In my experience, if a birth parent has an addiction, for example, the child often ends up with a relative as his or her foster carer. The carer then gets a knock on the door at 4 a.m. demanding money for drugs or demanding the baby. That is stressful and frightening and if this happens every two weeks, I imagine the child becomes fearful of his or her parent coming along trying to take him or her away if there is no money. It is almost like a ransom situation. It sounds odd but it happens frequently. The need for foster care is greater in disadvantaged communities, much more so than in other communities, and it is intergenerational.

Will the witnesses comment on the 3,000 children who are homeless? I looked out for two families who were sleeping in their cars when the crisis was beginning to dawn on us several years ago. If I rang the local authority on their behalf, I was told social workers would be sent out and the children would be taken into care. That was a frightening response and they treated it as a threat. That prevented many homeless parents reporting where they were sleeping. It is different now as these people are accommodated in hotels. However, I imagine the need for foster care is high among homeless children and I would like the witnesses to clarify the position. Are there many demands on EPIC's services from homeless families and agencies advocating for them? I also include refugee children in this regard.

Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report was shocking and distressing. He urged us all to become aware of the extreme heartbreaking cases that exist, as parents and as a nation. This raises the issue of whether HIQA needs more enforcement powers in certain circumstances in centres.

With regard to the privatisation of foster care, my ideological outlook is that such services should be provided by the public sector in order that they are accountable. There is a dearth of social workers, nurses and other health and social care professionals in the public system. The private system seems to have the capacity, especially in nursing, with more terms and conditions and less chaos and stress. Who would not take a job in this sector?

What about investment in the public system? Linn Dara mental health facility is closing half its beds. How easy is it for children to access mental health services given it is tough for the adult population?

It was well said by Ms Bond that we do not abandon our own children at 18. They all rely heavily on family networks and we allow them to explore their future from a safe distance. That has to happen for children who reach the age of 18 in foster care.