Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for acquiescing to Deputy McConalogue's call for a debate on the matter. When Professor Buckley introduced the panel's report on the deaths of children in care, it was striking that she said she felt the panel was not adequately resourced to deal with all cases, which is of concern. The Government has now been in office since February. We were all heartened by the Government's commitment to children by awarding a full ministry to the area. This would have indicated a total commitment to children.

However, I am concerned at the HSE's inaction in appointing social workers. Vulnerable children must be afforded every possible protection. Based on the Ryan report and this review, the most imperative proposal was the one which highlighted the need for more social workers so that social workers could be applied to each individual child in care.

Replies to recent parliamentary questions noted that 2,432 social workers were working within the HSE. On 30 September we had 2,429, a reduction of three. The Ryan report recommended 270 new staff. To be fair to the previous Government, it appointed 200. The Government was supposed to appoint 60 this year and ten next year. It is very disappointing that those appointments have not taken place. When we think of children in care and the State's role in that regard we think, unfortunately, of decades past when, it could be argued, the State abdicated its responsibilities, resulting in great pain and strain for everyone concerned. We now have available to us the expertise which points to the ways, means and methods by which we as parliamentarians and legislators can provide a service and facilities that seek to protect the most vulnerable in society. The most vulnerable in society are no doubt children in care, whom, if nothing else, the Government, when it engages with a view to prioritising funding across a wide range of Departments, needs to seek to protect. The Government established a senior Ministry for children last March. Is it imperative that the future protection of vulnerable children is prioritised. There is no excuse whatsoever that in a year when €6 billion was taken out of the national spending power of this State, 200 social workers were not, as recommended in the Ryan report, put in place and that there was in this area an embargo on recruitment or replacement of staff on maternity or sick leave. Despite all we know and all the expertise in this regard, which has been put into the public domain, there have been only four appointments in this area. The Minister needs to address this issue with her Cabinet colleagues in the context of the upcoming budget. It would be commendable if the Minister were to do so.

On the proposed children's rights referendum, the Government on assuming office stated that this referendum would be held in conjunction with the presidential election. However, that did not happen. The Taoiseach has given a commitment that it will be held next year in conjunction with a referendum on the Seanad. If the Government learned nothing else from its recent loss at the polls, it should have learned that a referendum such as this needs to be afforded the expertise and relevance it deserves and should be held on its own and not with any other referendum, irrespective of what that referendum that is, least of all a referendum on the Seanad.

On the new child and family services agency, I understand a task force has been put in place to consider how this might be established. It is hoped that the Minister can honour her commitment in this regard and bring forward proposals in that area. Apart from speaking about the recommendations contained in the report of Professor Buckley, I wanted to highlight in this debate the stance of Fianna Fáil Party in relation to the recruitment of social workers. As I said, vulnerable children are the weakest in our society. It is imperative the Government follows on from the appointments made by the previous Government and brings forth the funding required to appoint additional social workers so as to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are protected. I do not suggest that this in its entirety is the answer to all that is wrong in this area. There are much broader issues involved. However, as a hard and fast means it is the best we can do in the immediate future. It is hoped the Minister will impress upon her colleagues at the Cabinet table the need to appoint personnel in this area.

See this speech in context