Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Mullen faoin a am a roinnt liom agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit.

My colleague, Deputy Ó Caoláin, secured a Dáil adjournment debate last week on the crisis in child protection. I want to emphasise some of the points he made during that debate, but first I wish to address the reply given to him by the Minister of State, Deputy Máire Hoctor, in the absence of the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Barry Andrews. The reply was largely repeated here today and it shows the huge gap between the claims of the Government and the reality on the ground. The Government throws out figures about money spent and numbers employed in the health services as if all was well. It is as if the "Prime Time Investigates" programme was scare-mongering and as if the social workers at the front line of the crisis are somehow misrepresenting the situation. I reject that. The Government speaker stated that there was concern that any diminution in public confidence in the child protection system could result in people being reluctant to report child protection concerns, but it is the Government and the HSE who are undermining public confidence by their under-resourcing of an already inadequate child protection system.

The "Prime Time Investigates" programme revealed the true extent of the child protection crisis. Children are being abused and neglected or left at risk of abuse and neglect even though their files are in the hands of the HSE and they are known to be in these situations. Dozens of files on children at grave risk are lying in filing cabinets with no action being taken because there are simply not enough social workers to deal with them. That is not good enough. This is the result of the HSE's cap on recruitment for which the Government, not the HSE or the Department, is ultimately responsible.

Social workers and others working with children and for children's rights have repeatedly warned that the under-resourcing of child protection services, social work, community care, family support and psychological and therapeutic services is having terrible consequences. The current regime of cuts being imposed by the HSE is making things even worse. It is scandalous that we have waiting lists of more than a year for access to child mental health services and family support services.

The Irish Association of Social Workers has stated its members are concerned, angered and frustrated that the right of children to effective protection and community care is being infringed. It has repeatedly warned that children are at significant risk because of HSE failures. The association stated the programme drew attention to the realities faced by social workers and by families attempting to access social work services. I support the association's call on the Government and on the HSE to lift the current employment controls on social work posts, and to fully resource community care social work teams throughout the country. Mr. Declan Coogan of the Irish Association of Social Workers,stated:

Children at risk of abuse and neglect are among the most vulnerable group in our society yet, judging by the lack of provision of funding for community care social work services, little consideration is given to their welfare. We demand that the HSE fully resource community care social work child protection and welfare teams and fully resource community mental health services. No child should have to wait for essential social work and therapy services because someone somewhere has said there is no money. It seems that the protection of children is at the bottom of the list of priorities of those who make decisions about funding but are remote from the consequences of these decisions.

In December last the Taoiseach, then Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, attended the launch of Barnardos 2006 review. That review stated that 91% of the children who came to Barnardos had family and relationship needs, ranging from family discord to domestic violence. We need immediate action by the Minister for Health and Children to address the crisis by appointing the additional social workers and other community care and health professionals. This is required without delay to fulfil the State's responsibility to children known by the HSE to be at serious risk of abuse or neglect, or who are being abused and neglected, but currently receiving no assistance. It is time to act for the most vulnerable children in our society.

I commend Senator White on speaking the truth and castigating her own Government. That is where the buck stops. We need to take our head out of the sand and stop throwing up figures and assuming all is rosy in the garden. There is a problem and the most vulnerable in society are suffering because of it. I ask for honesty about the immediate needs that were exposed by the "Prime Time Investigates" programme.