Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

Fianna Fáil fully supports the Minister's efforts with regard to putting Children First on a statutory footing and ensuring that through mandatory reporting everything is reported so that child protection is our first priority and at the top of the agenda. Question No. 8 asked about the analysis done with regard to resource implications of the introduction of mandatory reporting. The Minister said the taskforce that has been established has been asked to assess how resources will be assigned. Was an advance assessment carried out by the Department with regard to the implications of a mandatory reporting system that would have penalties in place for not reporting? International experience has shown this increases the strain on the system. We know there is already massive strain on the system and this would lead to a real danger of problems falling through the cracks and children being endangered.

Comments made by Gordon Jeyes, the director of child and family services, and by Geoffrey Shannon following the Minister's announcement refer to the need to take this process step by step and suggest the Minister should not introduce policies that do not have the resource base to ensure reports we receive are acted upon and the resources are there to deal with them. When will the heads of the Bill come before the committee? The Minister indicated it would be in the spring. Is that when she expects it?

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