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

I share deeply the Deputies' concerns for the safety of the children, and support for them in Oberstown. I have been there many times and I am going there this afternoon. I have met staff on their own, management on their own and the children on their own. I want the children and young people to move beyond Oberstown and be free. I have a passion about this, as do my colleagues. Deputy Rabbitte stated that she is working in the dark but we have a number of reports and recommendations. There is a HIQA report which has been published and, on the basis of that, the implementation of changes is happening and there are improvements on the campus. I see these every time I go there.

I appreciate the points raised by the Deputy and I am aware of much of the discussion to which she refers. We need to separate the issues. The production of a report to engage with young people and staff and so on as hoped would have been welcome, but one must consider that fair procedures were not followed in the completion of the report, leading to a legal risk relating to its publication. That is the advice I have received.

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