Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

HIQA sends its reports directly to me and my Department. To respond to the Deputy's last query and issue, as she says, there was an inspection of foster care services in Cork in February and a follow-up inspection at the end of August. The follow-up inspection took place before many of the actions recommended were due to be completed, as shown in Tusla's action plan as accepted by HIQA. Therefore, the findings were to be expected as many of the actions recommended were still under way. For example, the rolling out of a new process to manage concerns and allegations involving foster carers had been recommended as an action, but it could not be commented on in the report because no new reports had been received since the new policy came into effect in July. The inspection report indicates that progress is being made and in line with the expected progress shown in the action plan. HIQA noted that some actions had been completed, but it was concerned that their completion was not timely or of good quality. I will seek to have Tusla confirm to me that the position has improved following the most recent inspection.

On Garda vetting, I accept that it is an issue, although not across the board. As the Deputy is aware, one of the things I have been doing in the context of the wider approach taken by Tusla is working with An Garda Síochána. We have been looking very closely at the issue and had several meetings to discuss the ways in which interagency co-operation can be improved.

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