Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)

I want to acknowledge the way the Minister went about making the rearrangements for this debate this morning and I thank her.

Grace was 10 years old when she entered the foster care placement that is at the heart of the commission report. It was due to be a temporary placement in 1989. We cannot remind ourselves enough that she was a 10-year-old girl, a child, and she was without a voice. The failure began before Grace even entered that house; I very much struggle to call it a home. She was placed there by the South Eastern Health Board. The house was never assessed and it was never formally recognised as a foster home. Why? Grace was not visited by a social worker for the first six years, those formative years of any child’s life. Why? It was not just Grace. There were 47 other children placed in that house. However, Grace remained there for 20 years, despite the placement having been temporary. Why? She remained there despite allegations of abuse on at least two occasions that we know of. Why? She remained there despite the Brothers of Charity stopping children going into that house in 1991. Why? In 1996, a decision was made by the health board on foot of concerns of possible abuse but that decision was later overturned. Why? It was not until 2009 that Grace was removed from the home. Why? None of theses whys are known. This is a very lengthy report and it does not answer any of these questions. When the commission was announced by the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny he said it "will get the answers that the people need". That has not happened. What we do know is Grace was failed over and over, that the very few people who spoke up for her were ignored over and over and that throughout those 20 years, numerous people did not care about Grace.

I commend the two whistleblowers who came forward and who cared enough to raise concerns about Grace and did so at huge cost to themselves. We have since heard from both of them. One said the report was a waste of time. Grace’s own legal team, which was acting on her behalf and was her voice, has said its submissions are not included in any way in the report. We have heard from the second whistleblower again this morning to say the same thing: his submissions to the commission were not included in the final report. These failures are not in the past. They are not something that just happened in the 1980s and 1990s. Concerns have been raised repeatedly about the care system that we have in Ireland today. Grace was not listened to. Those who cared for her were not listened to but we have to listen now. I reiterate that the Children’s Residential and Aftercare Voluntary Association has pointed to an increase in unregistered and uninspected for-profit providers in our care system. It has said the lives, safety and mental health of the most vulnerable children in the State are at severe risk. It has called repeatedly for an independent review of Ireland’s care system and I ask that we do that. Last year, the Child Law Project told us the care system in Ireland is at breaking point. It has described judges in court as being in despair. It has also raised issues about the fact that 250 children have been left without a social worker. There are so many issues. We need to review our care system independently.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the many wonderful foster carers we have in our country. We need more of them. Their numbers are falling. This is also a difficult read for them as well.

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