Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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The answer to the Deputy's question is that we believe Tusla cannot be trusted. That is the short, unscientific answer.

I thank the Minister for coming to the committee again today. I raised earlier the matter of ensuring this service will provide for the needs of children with disabilities, be they intellectual or physical. The children who may be represented in court may not have the verbal skills of their counterparts who run around the playground with them every day and they may also be more disadvantaged. The service will need to be able to interpret children's wishes, desires and their story of what is going on in their family or the care institutions. Does the guardian ad litemservice require a subsection, as it were, to provide for the interpretation of a child with disabilities who has poor or no verbal skills? We referenced previously the horrendous cases of Grace and Mary who did not have a voice.

I gather that the Minister will quickly set up the procurement process and tender for a service provider to deliver the service. Those interested, which I imagine will be child agencies such as Barnardos, will respond and submit their costs. Is there a time limit for that process? In the interests of the children and the smooth running of the service, it would appropriate that the service would come back under a statutory body and it would preferable if it were set up in that way initially. Is there a time limit for the procurement process in terms of tendering, the receipt of applications, the selection process and there being a review or an assessment of the service within, say, five years? Will that process work? Will we be able to bring the service back under a statutory body within the remit of Government and good governance in terms of it being a public service?