Ms Kate Duggan:

I sincerely thank the committee for having us, for the interest members have shown and for the knowledge of our services and the associated challenges they have displayed. In the past, we have had a relationship with the committee whereby if any members want to meet us at any time, reach out or request specific information, we are delighted for them to do so. As I said earlier, I acknowledge our staff members not just across the Tusla services but also in the community and voluntary services. That is important.

We want to promote the depth and breadth of work that we do. We want to support families. We want to be seen to support through earlier intervention. In respect of the funding we give, people often say Tusla is not in their communities, whereas we might be funding the Barnardos service within that community.

That is not stepping away from the challenges we face, the fact we have to be held to account as a public sector agency, that we have to be challenged and that when we get things wrong or where mistakes are made, we are held to account for those. Certainly for us, a really important part is helping to build the trust and confidence in our services and we thank the committee sincerely for that.