Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will, very quickly. The key term for me was "child-centred". Dr. Muldoon mentioned the child-centred approach. How dysfunctional are we in terms of achieving a child-centred approach? To me there seems to be a big chasm or gap there. We are not there at all. We are not fit for purpose by a long shot, to use Dr. Muldoon's terminology. I would like to hear how Mr. Muldoon could see us making our system child-centred.

I am sure the witnesses are all good people of integrity. I do not doubt that. However, I do not know how many of them, if any, were here last week to listen to the parents and I will not ask the question. I do not know how many of them were here this morning listening to the practitioners. I do not know how often they do it but I plead with them to start because they are the people at the coalface. They are the people who make it happen.

Do the Minister of State and Mr. Ryan accept that we have failed? It is only when we accept that we have failed that we can decide to start afresh and do something new. I said that last week. I said that both Houses have failed young people.