Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

First, many people who are working in child protection services are doing the best they can under the circumstances they are in, but there are things we can do to fix this. In the first place, there is a major correlation between economic and societal disadvantage and some of these outcomes. As a State, we must lift these communities out of poverty and strengthen those families. There are also specifics. For example, there are no emergency out-of-hours services in any part of the country outside Dublin for child protection. These crises typically do not happen during office hours. There are also major difficulties with getting mental health services to children who need them. There are Irish children who are currently going to Britain for psychiatric services because we do not have the capacity here. There are major problems with addiction services. There is no priority for children in care when it comes to addiction services. There are not enough homelessness services for children who are known to child protection services in this country. There are other issues. The Government has privatised part of the foster care services in the State and some of those outcomes have not been the best. Rather than there being an investigation into this crisis 50 years from now, can the Tánaiste commit to fixing at least the specifics I have raised today?

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