James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is. I will be very brief. Deputy Troy mentioned the issue of criminal sanction in relation to people who run services for children not having a safety statement. The matter was discussed at length on Committee Stage and in the Seanad. The rationale is straightforward. It would require a huge amount of time and money to put in place an inspectorate with all the judicial requirements around that. It was felt by many that this was not an appropriate use of scarce resources when the choice was between that and providing services to children. It is a matter we will keep under review, however. If what we have designed fails to deliver, we will certainly take action.

Deputy Buttimer has addressed child poverty. There was an increase in funding of €38 million for Tusla and another €27 million to clear any so-called backward debt. There was an increase of 33% in the €260 million to bring it to €345 million for child care packages. Free GP care, increased child benefit and more teachers were also provided for. The budget shows that Tusla has the funding to address its core objectives and services. There will always be a need for more and as the country continues to recover economically, more money will be available to invest in this area.

I thank the Members for their co-operation on the Bill. I commend specifically our social workers who have an extraordinary record in an international context. Our attrition rate is much lower which is a reflection on their commitment to the service they provide.

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