Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I appreciate her taking me a little earlier. I thank the witnesses for their contributions. They have painted the picture very well for us of the challenges and lived experiences. That is really important. Due to the sensitivities, we cannot hear directly from people but I would have liked to facilitate that somehow.

What I have heard breaks down into two areas, the first being the experience of parents of children in care. I appreciate how that was described. I am sensitive to the stigma and judgment that goes, perhaps, with that experience. I have people close to me involved in the legal system and they describe at times difficult questioning, particularly of mothers, in situations where children are in care and there is a discussion about whether they will be restored to them, or where the children are about to be taken into care. Bizarre judgments are put in place, things like going on a visitation and the floor being sticky. A description I heard was that if you use too much Flash, your floor ends up sticky.

I am guilty of doing that in my house but, fortunately, no one is judging me for it. I would like the witnesses to elaborate on that experience for mothers. It is very difficult to be put under a spotlight when one has other challenges, including social and personal issues or poverty. It is important to talk about that.

The other question I wanted to ask was about children coming out of care and the risk of homelessness. However, I would prefer to focus on what support is available for mothers in the circumstances I outlined. I am concerned to hear that their engagement with social workers reduces and they may be left alone facing shame, failure, guilt and all of those complex feelings. Ms Swann spoke very well about this but I am sure all our guests have contributions to make.