Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Child protection is a really important issue for every organisation in the country, including political parties. As politicians, we routinely hold others to account. It is unfortunate that the leader of Sinn Féin has now left. I appreciate that she came here today to bring more transparency to what is happening in her party but I have to highlight her glossing over of the glowing statement she made about the former Senator, Niall Ó Donnghaile, when he resigned. Whatever about not publicly naming him as the centre of allegations because of concerns about his mental health, her statement was utterly glowing. She wished him the best for the future and said that had served diligently and made a valuable contribution to politics here and in the North. The reality is that the former Senator was resigning in disgrace and that a referral had been made to the PSNI in respect of his inappropriately messaging a minor. Deputy McDonald knew about that. We need to know what she now has to say about her glowing statement. Much of her speech involved lambasting press officers in the party for giving glowing references. It does not seem that the same standard has been applied to her statements. She said that the minor in question was at the centre of Sinn Féin's actions with regard to the case of that minor and the former Senator, Niall Ó Donnghaile. I wonder how that minor felt reading that glowing reference. Deputy McDonald needs to explain that reference. At present, it seems that it was incorrect. It said that the Senator resigned because of mental health issues. That was the reason given for him leaving. In fact, that was not the case.

These statements on child protection should not go by without us actually making statements on child protection so I will speak a bit about our own party's child protection measures. It is imperative that political parties have robust child protection policies and measures in place. These policies have to be examined, reviewed and updated regularly to ensure they are sufficiently strong. Child protection is a key priority for the Social Democrats. Our child safeguarding policy and protocol has been drafted in line with best practice and expert advice. It was developed in line with the requirements of the Children First Act, the guidance associated with that Act and Tusla's child safeguarding policy.

Our safeguarding policy has four main aims: to provide a safe environment for children who are in contact with party employees and members; to safeguard the well-being of children and intervene when necessary to protect their rights; to put in place clear procedures for dealing with and reporting suspected or alleged cases of child neglect or abuse; and to help party employees and members to recognise the signs of child neglect or abuse. As part of our procedure, we have a dedicated liaison person, our general secretary, who is the person appointed by the party to be responsible for ensuring that reporting practices are followed. This ensures that any child welfare or protection concerns that arise are promptly referred to the relevant statutory authorities.

With respect to any and all activity within the party, all Social Democrats employees and members have a responsibility to safeguard children. Any concerns that arise regarding child welfare or protection must be reported to the designated liaison person. If any concerns are reported, a comprehensive process involving consultation with a Tusla duty social worker then begins. If a child protection or welfare concern exists, information must be shared with the relevant statutory authority and, if appropriate, with parents or guardians in the best interests of the child. At all times, the overriding concern is best practice and the safety of the child. If a child discloses or hints at abuse, harm or risk, the party has a clear process in place. This involves reassuring the child, emphasising that he or she is not at fault and following child protection guidelines and procedures. In the event of an emergency, there is an onus to take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety of the child. Sometimes, the nature of our political work and activism can mean that children are present at various events or activities. In such circumstances, clear procedures are in place.

Having set out our own policies and procedures, I will note a few points. No political party or organisation can control the behaviour of other people, whether that is its employees, its elected representatives or its party members. However, if a situation arises where a child abuser or somebody who poses a threat to children is operating in an organisation, it is imperative that he or she is identified, the proper authorities are notified, the person's capacity to pose a threat to children is ended and he or she is investigated and prosecuted. I might add that we should not give them glowing references. As leaders and members of political parties, we all have a role to play in child protection. It is crucial that we are all up to that task.

Those on the Government benches have a duty to safeguard not just children in their own political parties, but also children nationally. The State has a history of failing to protect children. I refer to the horrific legacy of industrial schools, mother and baby homes and abuse by religious orders in schools. The Government continues to fail in its duty. There are significant staff shortages in Tusla, which mean that at-risk children continue to be failed by the State. A HIQA report published a few months ago found that children's care services did not have sufficient staff numbers to provide adequate services to vulnerable young people. It said Tusla "had insufficient numbers of appropriately qualified, skilled and experienced staff to provide consistent and timely services to some children." It continued to say that "a significant number of children were waiting to access the right service at the right time and some children were placed in services that were not appropriate to their assessed needs."

Earlier this year, a High Court judge warned that nothing was being done about the crisis in our care system, predicting a tsunami of cases. The Government did do one thing, however. The project that was highlighting these cases and the wholesale failure by Government in this area, the Child Law Project, was shut down. It is shameful that, at a time when the Government has more money than it knows what to do with, it could not find the relative pittance required to fund this project. Earlier this year, the Child Law Project's latest, and now final, report described a care system that was utterly dysfunctional and totally overwhelmed. It stated that multiple judges were in despair at the system of care for children in Ireland. It should be remembered that these are some of the country's most vulnerable and traumatised citizens. They desperately need the protection and support of the State but they are being ignored or abandoned by a system that is completely inadequate and, on occasion, dangerous. This is what the Child Law Project consistently highlighted since it was established in the teeth of our worst ever recession, in 2012. We could afford it back then but apparently there is no money for it now. It is shameful and disgraceful. Withdrawing funding has all the appearance of the Government seeking to shoot the messenger rather than dealing with the issue it is communicating. I urge the Minister to reverse this decision today because there is a crisis in the care system.

Things are so bad that the Children's Residential and Aftercare Voluntary Association has called on the Government to conduct an independent review of the children's care system. According to the association, whose members all work in this area, Tusla and the Government are failing to uphold their statutory duty to children and young people in care. These sentiments were echoed by the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon, as recently as a few months ago. Dr. Muldoon is quite clear that the State is failing to meet its commitments and obligations to children with disabilities and those in State care and that it is not providing all of the school places required. One case his office investigated this year involved a 16-year-old wheelchair user who has to sleep in the sitting room and use a commode because the doors in his house are not wide enough. There is a €24 billion surplus this year and children are being forced to live in those kinds of conditions. It is an indictment of this Government and its track record of monumental waste and failure to target resources where they are needed the most.

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