Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will Ms Ward speak a little more about how children are institutionalised and the long-term impact on their mental health? I again highlight the case of Sylva Tukula, which was absolutely horrifying. It was devastating to hear what happened. She died in direct provision and, as was mentioned, she was buried with no friends or loved ones present. That is heartbreaking and the fact she was buried alone sums up the cruelty of the system and the indignity to which it gives rise. This highlights a fundamental problem, which is that the direct provision system is a patchwork, with cracks all over the place with human beings slipping through them. In this case four or five agencies were involved, including the Garda, the Department, the Reception and Integration Agency, the coroner and centre management but nobody really took responsibility. It is not good enough to state that there was a breakdown in communication. Are these types of gaps in the system common?