Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for cutting across Ms Duggan, but I am running out of time and there is a further question I want to ask. Will the witnesses outline the role of Tusla in monitoring the private companies' work? How does Tusla ensure that they are doing everything according to the same rules, regulations and standards as apply to Tusla's own carers? Can the witnesses quantify the cost of that work? When the cost of that monitoring and, for want of a better term, regulatory work is coupled with the additional cost of €23 million and so on, do the witnesses not agree that the money would be better invested in Tusla's own services directly so as to ensure that every family that engages in the foster care scheme has a positive experience?