Dr. Valerie O'Brien:

On the commodification of care for children, even as I was using the phrase I was thinking it is part of a wider issue. Look at what has been happening with care for old people and groups of people in the State. Currently, services are provided by the State and by statutory services. Some services are provided by not-for-profits but some are provided for profit. It is important to say it is not that I am opposed to the private sector but what is the cost to the State? It is a much higher cost to buy a placement from private agencies. In return they can provide more wraparound services but then what we have seen happening in other countries is those private agencies selling themselves on as businesses. Where is the profit going then? The excess profits from these agencies are going into the private domain as opposed to coming back into the service. Therefore, it is an important policy issue and the private sector is meeting the gaps, but in many instances the children who are being placed through private agencies are then being placed at distances from home.

The IFCA may also have something to say about the commodification of care and maybe there are other questions.