John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has spoken in general terms about the scheme and the new one that will come on stream at the end of the year. I would be the last to suggest that the Minister should ignore an audit or not seek value for the taxpayer's money. However, it would be remiss of me not to tell her that a certain degree of common sense had be mixed into what was happening in communities at charity level. They are facing specific challenges that are different than those facing the private sector. They are trying to cope, not just with attendances, but with what is happening in the child's home. They are trying to give families support. The last thing they want is to lose a child. They want to work with the child and the family.

The audit must have a human interest element in terms of these children. A balance must be struck between auditing a book and auditing a life. That is what is going on. If everything was as rosy as the Minister said, these public meetings would not be happening and one of the projects would not be telling us that its loss-making could run to €40,000 per year due to changes being made pursuant to a Pobal audit that did not recognise the issues that would be created for families and the children attending.

SIPTU has agreed to support the staff in their efforts to get fair play for the sector and those employed therein. One man who has worked in the sector for the past 12 years has told me that he is still on the same rate but is there because he enjoys the job, likes the mix and wants to be involved in the community. I ask the Minister to go beyond her scripted reply and look deeply into the hearts of these families and young children.

See this speech in context