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

The whole question of the standards of care in institutional settings in Ireland historically has been an absolute disgrace and a lot of action has been taken to change that situation in terms of being more child focused, in terms of our new protection standards, in terms of the role of HIQA, the Children First guidelines and establishing an agency with particular responsibility for children who are in the care of the State.

In relation to the recent report, the Government has taken action immediately. There will be a commission of inquiry. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, will be bringing the terms of reference to the Cabinet in the next few weeks to ensure that the commission is set up in the very near future. In the meantime, the Minister has taken action to ensure there are safeguards in place in relation to the issues which have emerged.

From my experience of foster homes as a former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am aware that the role of HIQA is critical.

HIQA has been going into foster homes in every area of the country and making reports with a whole range of recommendations, which are being acted on by Tusla. We have to hope that what is in this report is historical and that, currently, when the State takes children into care they remain in a place of safety. That has to be our goal and standard. Clearly, investigations are needed into what has happened in the past. That will be done. As I said, other safeguards in regard to adults and children who are in disability services are best guaranteed, as the Deputy rightly said, by outside inspection. That is precisely the role of HIQA, which is now examining every disability service to ensure the standards are clear and that the staff know what those standards are and live up to them.

The price of high quality care is eternal vigilance, of that there is no question. We are determined to ensure that vigilance exists and that the monitoring bodies do their work and when they make recommendations that they are responded to by Tusla, which is now well established, as well as by the disability bodies which are running services.

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