John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for the presentation. It is a very interesting debate.

One of the things I am particularly sensitive to is where the line is between welfare and a child safeguarding issue. Viewing that through a fresh perspective came for me through being a school principal. School principals and school staff in general will always err on the side of referring to Tusla with a child safeguarding concern. That is because of the children first legislation which makes it a criminal offence for a school principal or school teacher to ignore that or to be seen to have ignored that. The issue has to be considered from that perspective as well.

In my professional experience, I have come across the resistance to social work support among the Travelling community that Ms Joyce outlined very well. She also outlined how it has come to that and why it is the case.

Going back to the role of the school principal, in a general sense, have the witnesses found the children first legislation to be beneficial since it was introduced and since the child safeguarding procedures were developed in schools? I am deciphering some concern about it but in terms of the welfare, well-being and safeguarding of children, do the witnesses acknowledge that the legislation has been beneficial?

The over-representation of Traveller children in the care system is also very interesting. Ms Joyce put very well why it is occurring. The lack of appropriate investment in preventative community-based family support in partnership with Travelling organisations is the underlying reason. Another thing that concerns me is how it is presenting. How is it presenting that children are having to be referred, notwithstanding that lack of investment and appropriate care? Do we have data on that? Are we dealing with issues of addiction, mental health concerns or issues of gender-based violence? How is it presenting that children are being referred to the services?

Ms Joyce made a very good point on implementing targeted initiatives to increase access to kinship care in the Travelling community. Could we get some examples of what types of targeted initiatives or supports could be provided in that sphere?

The other recommendation the witnesses made in the longer presentation was for direct engagement with adult Travellers who have been in the care system, whether in mainstream or segregated settings. Regarding health support offered to those adult Travellers, or even children if they are coming out of the care system, is there enhanced health support available and do the witnesses find the health system has been beneficial in that area?