Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I note from this morning's newspapers that the HSE managers are not planning to publish critical reports into the deaths of two teenagers in State care, specifically the deaths of Tracey Fay and David Foley. This is a very alarming further exposure of the HSE's disposition to the issue of State care provision for children. It again lays emphasis on the need for specific steps to be taken in regard to the referendum on children's rights, which we hope to have in 2010, that was addressed substantively with the Taoiseach yesterday and for which we remain absolutely uncertain as to the Government's position. There is no clarity on other critical areas of legislation.

The first report of the all-party Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, which was unanimous, commended to Government the introduction of what it has now termed the national vetting bureau Bill, the publication of which is expected in 2010. Again, there is no sight of this Bill. We have to address all these issues with urgency-----

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