Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. I did not realise I was first. I thought I had more time to prepare. It is the nature of the job to keep me on my toes. I thank the Minister. I will raise a couple of points.

The first issue is related to the Estimates, which I will get to. However, I will raise concerns regarding many groups in society that essentially want to tear apart the fabric of society and are now actively organising. These are anti-democratic and racist groups, and even individuals, that are travelling around the country stirring things up and trying to tear apart the fabric of society. They offer nothing but fear and hatred, and are trying turn people against each other based on the colour of their skin or where they came from. We need to respond to that. Many of the responses will be through the Joint Committee on Justice or another committee. One of the things we need to do when faced with people who are tearing apart the fabric of society is to knit things together quicker than these groups are tearing it apart.

I am glad to see that an equal and inclusive society is a priority area. What money is being made available to the many local community and genuine groups that are saying they are open for all, such as Drimnagh For All, the similar Ballyfermot group, and East Wall Here For All? All these groups are coming together to try to build a more equal and inclusive society and are trying to hold us all together. This is also the responsibility of many other Ministers, and I will raise this issue with them as well. It is essential we get this right, especially at this crisis point when there are people who are actively trying to undermine our democracy.

I will also make a point regarding Tusla. One of the matters the committee regularly talks about is retention of staff, the retention and recruitment of social workers, and that there just are not enough of them. Is there a way we can use the Estimates to try to incentivise social workers to stay in Tusla? Other agencies have more generous arrangements around superannuation and pensions. Time spent in Tusla might be more valuable to a social worker than time spent somewhere else. I do not see anything in the Revised Estimates relating to trying to push for retention and all those fundamental issues we talk about, including access and supports. I notice from the indicators that referrals to Tusla have been going up over the years but the number of children in care is going down, which is a curious anomaly that might take another committee meeting to explore in its own right.