Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed by the response, which is basically suggesting that when we find there is a problem and when we find we are paying GPs for children who are not in the early childhood care and education scheme or not in school, we will return to the House for legislation. That is closing the door when the horse has bolted and I am trying to pre-empt that. There is an effective database within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and an effective and comprehensive database in the Department of Education and Skills. The sharing does not take place with the Department of Social Protection. By linking the two Departments with the PCRS, one third of the children granted eligibility in this legislation can be monitored on an ongoing basis as to their residence in the country without having to go through a probity exercise and without having to send out 600,000 letters on an annual basis to see if the children are resident. We will not have to go through the probity exercise in respect of non-active cards because we will be able to check through the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs that the children are attending school and availing of the early childhood care and education scheme. Rather than all that we have done over the past number of years to close the door when the horse has bolted and where there are loopholes in respect of the nursing home Act, only when someone may be able to avail of the loophole do we decide to close the door rather than dealing with this at the initial stage and ensuring that the three databases are linked so that only eligible children and those legitimately entitled to cards receive them in the first place and retain them.

See this speech in context