Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The question that is begged is why there is this delay. This was foreseeable. The period was coming to an end and there was going to be a new tendering process, so why this gap, at the very least, in funding? I will read a selection of headlines from the last volume of reports from the Child Law Project. They include "Court hears of a 'spectacular example of statutory agencies not working together' in case of autistic teenager", "Judge joins CAMHS as notice party to explain why a child on priority list for over 18 months had not received any service", "Large number of cases re-entered in Dublin District Court because no allocated social worker", "Special care system 'in crisis', lack of special care beds 'a tsunami about to reach shore and nothing is being done' – High Court judge", "Court hears of lack of special care bed for boy missing in care, judge outlines questions for SEAs", and "No bed for very vulnerable girl under special care order; allegation she had been raped while in care, fear of sexual exploitation; Judge: 'This is the worst case I have ever come across."

This is important work that sheds a light. The question must be asked whether this gap or delay in funding is effectively an attempt to lean on the Child Law Project and to tell it to tone it down and stop being so critical of the State.

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