Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I heard everything the Minister said, including the figures and so on, but I am meeting the people on the ground. I attended the Empowering People in Care, EPIC, conference before Christmas and the main point from it was the lack of access to aftercare plans and the lack of continuity with social care workers. That they did not have that was their biggest concern.

I met with a provider last week who looks after children in residential care to whom I put the question of aftercare, and I did not get a positive response. He told me of the 18 year old who is literally left at the front door with black bags. That is not what I call an aftercare plan and whether it is Tusla, or whatever organisation is responsible, we need more than statistics. I need to hear that as does the Minister. The social care workers must tell us that their aftercare plans are working but that is not what I am hearing.

See this speech in context