Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Those measures were welcome. Is there a forum or an opportunity for representatives from the social worker sector, Tusla and foster carers to sit down with the Minister? Perhaps one is already in place. Tusla, in fairness, says that as well. Everybody says we cannot have this and we need to end special emergency places, yet we end up having to resort to them. I understand that in a crisis a place has to be provided for a child but, as I know from people I deal with, these places are the worst situation for children. They mainly involve older teenagers who have come from a difficult and traumatic situation and are suddenly placed in a hostel, bed and breakfast accommodation or a hotel. It is not what we want to see.

I welcome some of the measures that have been taken but there needs to be a greater sense of urgency in relation to it, particularly greater imagination around the recruitment and retention of social workers. What is Tusla doing to promote that? Is it talking to transition year students? What is it doing? Are Tusla who could grade up, as it were, doing so? Everything is moving very slowly and we need more urgency.

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