Margaret Conlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

That is correct. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Child Care (Amendment) Bill. It is an important and timely debate and it is right and proper that we should give it the time it deserves in the House.

We are seeking to minimise the tragic circumstances that befall some young people in our country. These circumstances are often highlighted in the media but they can have the potential to destroy the lives of some of these young people. The publication of the Ryan and Murphy reports shocked us to our very core. Innocent young children were cruelly treated and abused at the hands of those who were supposed to care for them and who purported to have their best interests at heart. The treatment was criminal. It was inhumane. It was totally unacceptable to society and the net result was the lives of many young people were destroyed and a blight put on their futures.

We are called to ensure that the likes of this will never happen again and that we will never be in a situation where we are standing up speaking about such abhorrent crimes. Any Bill that offers protection, support and assistance to vulnerable children is certainly to be welcomed. This Bill seeks to offer that protection and support to these children. Many of them are vulnerable through no fault of their own. Many have only known a life of dysfunction, where normality is something that is completely alien to them.

This Bill allows the HSE to apply to the High Court for a special care order for a child between 11 and 17. This is always done in the best interests of the child and it must be as a last resort. Special care will provide the child with care that addresses his or her behaviour and the risk of harm it poses to his or her life, health, safety, development or welfare, while also including medical and psychiatric assessment, examination, treatment and educational supervision. That is to be welcomed because it gives these children a second chance and it is in their best interests.

State care can be traumatic for these children as they are removed from what is normal for them. They need care and support. Their time spent in care should ensure that when they leave and return back to the big bad world, that they are in a better place than when they left it and entered State care. I believe that aftercare is very important for them. If aftercare is not good, they may quickly regress and all the good work might be undone. Somebody made the point to me that one does not take away the soother and the comfort blanket from children in the one day. They have to be weaned little by little. While I would not advocate a culture of dependency, I would say that these children need the support and assistance of the service providers to allow them and grow into independent and confident young people. This will require different interventions and different time scales, depending on each individual. No two cases are the same, but there must be consistency across the country in the provision of aftercare to ensure that the same high standards apply.

It is important to recognise that the families require support and assistance to enable them to cope. It is very difficult for families to cope with young people whose behaviour is challenging, and these families deserve to be supported. Being a parent is the one job in life for which there is little training. Parents bring home their new baby and they have to figure it out as they go along. Dealing with children who have challenging behaviour and who pose difficulties in the family setting is very difficult. It is not a sign of weakness for people to say that they cannot cope and that they need help. The HSE and the social services are there to help and will provide support and assistance to those families who need it.

I listened to Deputy Blaney's contribution on Tuesday and I agree with his commentary on education. As someone who was involved in education, we have a tremendous gift. The little ones go to school at the age of four and they are like sponges. Everything teacher says is correct. We have a huge gift as we are able to transform their young minds and turn them into positive individuals, who in turn will make a valued contribution to society. I do not think our teachers get enough credit for the excellent work that they do. There often tends to be negative commentary about them in the media, as there is about other sectors of the public service. They do a tremendous job and they have shaped us as individuals for generations. They continue to do that with the young people of today.

I also want to echo Deputy O'Rourke's sentiments about the free preschool year. It has been widely welcomed by all. It has been a tremendous initiative. I like the aspect where access is provided to all. Every child is treated equally and is able to avail of it. It helps children with their socialisation and it makes transition into primary school easier. One such preschool has been set up in my own parish recently. My children did not have the luxury of going to preschool because it did not exist. Now there are far more providers and the facilities are excellent. I see the little ones heading in there full of enthusiasm and happy to going there. They even wonder on Saturday and Sunday why they cannot go. That helps with their transition into primary school.

I join with others in commending the Minister of State. I know that he has listened carefully to the various organisations, including Focus Ireland, and that he will take their views into consideration. He has always been available to listen to those who represent the voices of our children and that is to be commended. As a member of the joint committee dealing with the constitutional referendum on children, I am aware that he attended every meeting. He listened to everything that was said. While I understand that there are complex legal issues in drafting the wording for a referendum, I would look forward to it being brought before the people as soon as possible.

I commend the Minister of State on the commitment he has shown in dealing with children's issues. I welcome the Second Reading of this Bill and the opportunity it provides to Deputies on all sides of the House to express their views. While I do not have the legal training, I know of the incidences that I have come across before and during my time in this House. That makes the passing of this Bill a priority for all of us.

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