Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 10:

In page 13, subsection (5), lines 5 and 6, to delete “and accountability” and substitute “, accountability and consistency”.

It currently reads:

(5) The Agency shall, in the performance of its functions, demonstrate high standards of performance, transparency and accountability.

We week to delete to words "and accountability" and add "accountability and consistency". The amended subsection would read:

(5) The Agency shall, in the performance of its functions demonstrate high standards of performance, transparency, accountability and consistency.

We think that the addition of the word "consistency" is very important. There has been no end of situations, that one can refer to, that demonstrate, in the past, where inconsistency has been more the norm. I raised the issue at the outset which may not have pleased the Chairman or many others for that matter.

The fact of the matter is there are inconsistencies in the matter of the conduct regarding so-called open high-support units. That is just one instance, I could cite many more. Consistency is not an idle word that has been dreamed up to create an amendment for its own sake. I could cite any number of situations where the absence of consistency has been a matter of very clear concern to members of the committee not only in recent years but going back for some considerable time. I believe it is of such importance that we have now a new Child and Family Agency in the offing and the critical need for performance, transparency and accountability, are hugely important, but also consistency. I strongly recommend it to the Minister. I believe that in her own experience, the Minister knows well that the absence of consistency has been a major problem. in the past. Let us put it to bed now and make it abundantly clear that consistency is a critical part of what we expect in terms of the performance of the new agency.