Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I recognise that Tusla's job is difficult and that it inherited a difficult situation. As I have previously noted, we have an unhappy history of child protection in this State. Issues are still regularly being raised in regard to weaknesses in our child protection services. For this reason, I called some weeks ago in this House for a full audit of the child protection system.

I noted with interest an announcement on the airwaves of a review or a piece of research into the section 13 cases. I welcome this. I believe we need a transformation of our child protection services and a roadmap along the lines of A Vision for Change to achieve it. In regard to the independent research, I believe it should be independent of Tusla and that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs should have oversight of it. It must have access to social work files, Courts Service reports, where relevant, and it should have a broad terms of reference, with the potential to expand beyond section 13 cases, if necessary and appropriate. Also, Tusla should not have a veto over its recommendations. That is important. Is this the type of audit the Minister envisages?

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