Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the detailed reply she has given. It offers hope to the people in the cases I mentioned and those I have on file. Everything the Minister has said is positive and I greatly welcome it but it does not seem to be getting out on the ground where these people are. That is a significant problem. The big question is how we are going to do that. If we are to be successful, and I want to put everything I have in support of the Minister in trying to reach that goal, the one thing we must do is give something to these children in terms of the next step. When I spoke to the young lady last night, we talked about whether she got on that first step of education. She must go for treatment before she gets there. It is her ambition to get on that first step. It was wonderful to see that she had that and is willing to follow up on it.

I welcome what the Minister said but I want to see it in the area and involvement in all the areas because together the foster parents, the children and the relevant State agencies can make a success of this. There is a considerable amount of work attached to it and there is a significant problem involved in getting children to go in the right direction but it is possible to have a successful conclusion. I will bring the cases to the attention of the Minister. One issue was that this family of seven has not been together in over six months. This girl is the elder child at this stage and there is a need to show her that there are family connections as well as the wonderful family she is in the care of at the moment.

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