Ms Fidelma Guinan:

Deputy Rabbitte referred to aftercare. We have made numerous submissions to the Department on the importance of increasing the age of support for those aged under 21 who are not in full-time education. We neglect to think about the learning that all of us as service providers need about the effects of trauma and neglect on the education of these adults. They are not the same as their peers in the general population who grow up in loving homes. They are predominantly late to education and sometimes aged over 23 and, therefore, not entitled to services. They take courses that they do not necessarily want to access aftercare funding. This needs to be examined. We can forward to the committee recommendations that we have made.

The provision regarding the age of 18 should be abolished. These are the most vulnerable children in our society. We have a responsibility and a duty. It is not only services across Departments that have a responsibility but society as a whole. We are not doing a good job of looking after these children and we all have to look at ourselves, including statutory services, and consider how we can improve the provision of services to those children.