Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. She knows all Members support the referendum on children’s rights. Earlier, we were all across in the playground in the Merrion Square park calling for support of the referendum. While it is an important step in recognising children’s rights, it is not a panacea. Since my appointment as my party’s spokesperson on children and youth affairs, I have sought clarification on funding and resources for child services on numerous occasions.

I assume when the Minister was drafting the constitutional amendment, she engaged with other Departments to ascertain what resource implications the referendum would involve. Will she make available any information she may have on this? On Wednesday the Minister told the Law Society about the importance of family support and the need for adequate resources being made available for it. If the referendum is carried and the attendant adoption legislation is passed, hundreds of children will be able to apply for adoptions. Will additional resources be made available to meet these demands? Will the required personnel and social workers be in place to ensure the voice of the child is heard? Will the foster care payment be maintained for fostered children who may be adopted? If the foster payment is maintained, the children involved will no longer need a social worker. Such persons could then be redeployed to front-line services where they are crucially needed.

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