I welcome the Minister of State's emphasis on the need to improve the quality and consistency of services for children and young people in foster care and the standards of practice applicable to foster carers. With regard to the lengthy waiting periods before assessment of foster carers is undertaken, the Minister of State indicated that assessment is completed within 16 weeks of the formal application unless more time is required, at which point a new completion date is set. It has always been a problem that people have had to wait a long time before being given the green light. This initiative will help to alleviate this problem and will make people more aware of foster care.