Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to address the fact that numerous evaluations by HIQA have found that many foster care services have consistent and serious failings; and to set out the steps she is taking to ensure these failings are addressed. [50218/17]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Rabbitte is working overtime.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I am asking a broad range of questions this afternoon. Given that numerous HIQA evaluations have found consistent and serious failings in many foster care services, I ask the Minister to set out the steps she is taking to ensure such failings are addressed. I am asking this question on the back of last week's publication by HIQA of its second Cork report, which is based on the findings of the first Cork report.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I welcome HIQA's important work on foster care services and the report prepared by the Oireachtas joint committee. I will respond to the joint committee by the end of the year. In Ireland, 92% of children living in care are in foster care placements, which is an enviable situation. This compares favourably to foster care services overseas. The most recent figures for England show that 74% of children in care were in foster placements. The figure in Northern Ireland is 80% for children who have been in care for at least 12 months. The vast majority of foster placements are stable and loving long-term arrangements in which children are nurtured and supported. By the end of last year, HIQA had inspected all foster care services. It findings show that, in general, children in foster care are safe, happy and in good health and are attending school. For 2017, HIQA has focused in more detail on specific standards, such as the checks and balances that foster care committees and senior managers should have in place to support safe and effective services. Children's experience of the service was not assessed during 2017.

This year's inspections show delays in completing formal assessments of relative carers and the lack of regular reviews of all foster carers. The need for Garda vetting for children over the age of 16 and young adults in the household has also been highlighted. There are weaknesses in how some foster care committees are informed about complaints and allegations against foster carers. I am pleased to note that HIQA has accepted Tusla’s action plans with regard to the inspection reports. I am monitoring the improvements that are being made.

The clear themes coming through are the need for better oversight, the recruitment of staff, the replenishment and broadening of foster care panels, improved supports and the supervision of foster carers. I am asking Tusla to provide me with a national strategy for the recruitment of foster carers as part of its 2018 business plan and to build on and improve the assessment of and support for foster carers. I have secured additional funding of over €40 million for Tusla to ensure the business plan can be achieved.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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It is welcome to hear that the Minister is looking for a national strategy in the business plan for 2018 because when the report on the situation in Cork came out the other day, it made for very worrying reading. It found that a number of key recommendations made in the previous report had still not been addressed, least of all the recommendation on Garda vetting. It also found that a number of families who were fostering children in care had not been subjected to Garda vetting. That is a huge issue. We have to drill deep to find out why Garda vetting is still an issue, despite being the most fundamental part of any of the reports presented, including the Tusla and HIQA reports. In this day and age, Garda vetting should not be an issue in cases where children are in care. We need to find out why this has repeatedly been an issue. I am concerned that a number of the four key recommendations made in the Cork report had still not been addressed. We have to find out why they were not addressed, when they will be addressed and who is going to be held accountable. What role does the Minister's Department play in all of this? The fact is there is now a second report.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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HIQA sends its reports directly to me and my Department. To respond to the Deputy's last query and issue, as she says, there was an inspection of foster care services in Cork in February and a follow-up inspection at the end of August. The follow-up inspection took place before many of the actions recommended were due to be completed, as shown in Tusla's action plan as accepted by HIQA. Therefore, the findings were to be expected as many of the actions recommended were still under way. For example, the rolling out of a new process to manage concerns and allegations involving foster carers had been recommended as an action, but it could not be commented on in the report because no new reports had been received since the new policy came into effect in July. The inspection report indicates that progress is being made and in line with the expected progress shown in the action plan. HIQA noted that some actions had been completed, but it was concerned that their completion was not timely or of good quality. I will seek to have Tusla confirm to me that the position has improved following the most recent inspection.

On Garda vetting, I accept that it is an issue, although not across the board. As the Deputy is aware, one of the things I have been doing in the context of the wider approach taken by Tusla is working with An Garda Síochána. We have been looking very closely at the issue and had several meetings to discuss the ways in which interagency co-operation can be improved.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister is aware, the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs carried out a scope of works in respect of foster care services. One of the recommendations made by the committee was that the powers afforded to HIQA be extended to include powers of enforcement. Earlier today representatives of HIQA were before the committee to discuss the Oberstown Children Detention Campus. While HIQA has a monitoring role, it needs to have an implementation role. There is no point in producing reports unless it has good oversight, implementation and enforcement powers. I would welcome the Minister's commentary in that regard.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am aware of the joint committee's recommendations. There are some details in the report, including those relating to the cost of Tusla's provision of private foster care, on which I hope to obtain more information before responding to the recommendations overall. I am happy to say some of that work with Tusla is in hand. It ties in with the recommendations of the committee. My officials will be writing to the CEO of Tusla to seek its formal response to the report which will be incorporated into my reply on the committee's recommendations which I hope to give as soon as possible.

The Deputy raised the issue of expanding the role of HIQA to include enforcement and regulation. My Department wrote to HIQA following its presentation to the joint committee about the issues raised. As the Deputy is aware, HIQA is largely involved with developing standards and inspecting services, but it has indicated that it would like to be given a role in regulation. I am open to having that discussion with Tusla. I want to hear its views on how any proposed change could improve the lives of children in foster care. I am also open to having discussions with HIQA on future revisions to foster care standards.