Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the witnesses for being here and for their opening statement. I have been looking through their annual report at some of the complaints they have received. On the complaints that are outside the office's remit, I understand some of them relate to preschool. I would like to know what is the remainder of that roughly 10%. What else is it made up of in terms of what is outside the remit? I would also like an update because in the office's report it says it is continuing to engage with the Department on the early years and that sector not being within its remit. I would like to know where that is going and what progress is being made to include it.

What also stood out to me in the report was the correspondence the office has which is not a complaint. It states there has been an 88% rise in child protection and welfare concerns received in 2024. Will the witnesses give us a little more detail on that, insofar as they can?

On the engagement the office has in our schools with the rights education workshops, will the witnesses give us a flavour of what is involved in those? It is a really sad indictment that in 2025 children want the office to take action and prioritise the cost of living, mental health, housing and poverty. Children should not have a care in the world. I was fortunate enough not to and to be able to grow up carefree. The idea children in Ireland are worried about poverty and the cost of living, and that obviously a lot of them will see pressure on their parents in that regard, is a really sad indictment of our State.

An issue I have raised a number of times with the Minister is the report done for Tusla reviewing special care and I would like to get the witnesses' views on that if possible. My read of it was that it was almost a cry for help about the other State agencies not being at the table or doing what they should. My other read, and it is only that, was we are putting children into special care and it is almost like we think putting them in there is fine. A number of the children going in there have addiction and mental health issues for which there are no supports, so what is the point in that? It makes no sense. Again, my read of it was special care is being used but it is not always for the benefit and support of the child and that is really concerning, especially when the special care beds are limited. There is the idea children are going in there and not actually being able to get access. Then I can almost understand why, unfortunately, Tusla is looking at security personnel. The report said they were in place and were removed, but there are serious incidents towards staff in those special care settings, some of which I have been made aware of, so I can almost understand that even though it is terrible and should not happen. If these are children who are being put in a place where they are not getting the supports, that is really bad for the child and obviously there is a wider impact from that on staff as well.