Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes a very reasonable point in regard to reports. Obviously, many reports regarding children and young people are presented to the Department, and the ombudsman's report is a very important one. The Deputy will remember that I said in the Dáil in March 2012, in response to a parliamentary question, that I undertook to consider the recommendations in Ms Logan's report, which was the report by the Ombudsman for Children on the operation of the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 and which contained a whole range of recommendations similar to those that often appear in the annual reports. I did that. I have taken up with other colleagues a range of points Ms Logan has made, where they are of relevance, such as in the areas of justice, education and health, and I have asked for their response to the recommendations she made.

To take one example of where we follow through, a point Ms Logan has made repeatedly is in regard to her having responsibility for and being able to access and investigate issues involving the Adoption Authority. That has now happened under the review of the ombudsman legislation which the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, undertook. My officials were in contact with his Department to make progress on that issue and it was in the legislation we passed here in October. With regard to the National Council for Special Education, the Deputy will be aware that on many occasions Ms Logan has raised in her reports the issue of the council coming under her remit. That has also now happened. She also made recommendations in regard to other issues which we have followed up on, so there has been follow-on in a whole range of areas.

A broader question arises in terms of the many reports on children that have been published over the years. There is a need to bring them all together and to undertake a forensic examination of the recommendations. For example, a particular committee is looking at the Ryan report and its recommendations. Every few months, we assess in detail the recommendations and the progress that is being made, but there are so many other reports. My Department is currently undertaking an analysis and trying to draw up a very structured response, precisely as the Deputy has suggested, to the range of recommendations that come across our desks in the whole variety of reports that have been published in recent months and years.

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