Results 5,701-5,720 of 6,374 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Cuirim fáilte roimh na hoifigigh ó Tusla anseo ar maidin. Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leo as a bheith anseo linn. I welcome from Tusla Mr. Fred McBride, chief executive, Mr. Jim Gibson, chief operations officer, and Mr. Cormac Quinlan, director of policy and strategy, and thank each of them for appearing before the committee today. I also welcome our colleagues in the Public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank Mr. McBride for that comprehensive presentation. We move now to questions from members of the committee, starting with Deputy Jan O'Sullivan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: In light of the fact that the Deputy must attend another meeting, we might go straight back to the Tusla representatives for answers to those questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is Senator Devine satisfied that her questions were answered?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Are Deputies Rabbitte and Funchion satisfied they have received answers to their questions? They might have another chance to ask further questions later.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: To preface my remarks, I absolutely accept that Tusla's job is very difficult. It is worth saying that Ireland has a very unhappy history in respect of child protection. Generationally, we have failed children and there is no doubt that Tusla came into a very difficult situation. At the time that Tusla was being established and the legislation to do so was passing through Dáil...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Does Mr. Quinlan feel he should have been interviewed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Before Mr. Quinlan speaks, one or two matters are outstanding. A specific question was asked about an audit and I welcome the comment in that regard, but the question was on whether the retention level of child protection social workers had surpassed the departing number. Regarding the cultural issue, the Shannon report made a specific point about social workers supposedly leaving the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: What about the specific question about child protection social workers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We will aim to conclude by 11.30 a.m. so there will be another round of supplementary questions. I call Deputy Jan O'Sullivan first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am conscious of time pressure. We will move on to the final questions. I call on Deputy Funchion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As I have been Acting Chairman from only 9 a.m., I am not sure of the answer to the Senator's question. We can discuss it in private session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Does Deputy Neville have anything to add?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have three brief questions and a short answer to them will suffice. Mr. McBride said that he is hopeful that the budget will provide for Tusla to deal with most of the unallocated cases. Can he put a number, even a rough figure, on what net gain Tusla would require at the start of the year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will ask my remaining questions and Mr. McBride might respond to them together. I acknowledge that Mr. Cormac Quinlan dealt with the aspect that if there was an issue of people leaving it the very last minute that it would be dealt with. Is Mr. McBride confident that this is not an issue? Mr. McBride dealt with the issue in respect of Five Rivers Fostering. Will he agree it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The point at issue is that the more there is a 24-hour service in place, there could be a better and more direct response. The point at issue is that these children are ending up in Garda stations as opposed to anywhere else. Obviously, it is not appropriate for them to be placed with a family against their will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Are some of them still in the employ of the organisation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: With respect, I asked whether the witnesses could answer the question. The question was answered-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Foster Care Services: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Jun 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am not trying to put the witnesses into a place-----