Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With respect, if that process was working, I would not need to be here raising the issue with the Minister this morning. This is another such case - I came across a case involving a similar experience before Christmas. I will focus on this case and the problem with the breakdown of the services in this area in Kildare and particularly in Kildare North.

On 29 January, both the school and this lady's sister contacted the HSE and Tusla to raise grave concerns about the neglect of and the risk to the children because the mother was using drugs in the home. Four weeks later, they have had no engagement. There was only one call from a person within the service to say she was on holidays and she would deal with it when she came back on 19 February. That is nearly a week ago and there is still no engagement. Today, the sister has intervened and taken the children into her care without any legal guardianship or any legal proceedings, meaning there is no legal cover. At any time the mother could come for those children and take them back into her care.

See this speech in context