Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

——and be aware of the lack of staffing at Health Service Executive level to follow up on the problems.

Last week, in another debate involving the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, I stated that 50 cases of neglect were reported by gardaí to the HSE West. The social worker there told me she did not have anybody to open those files. Her words to me were, "Children are suffering. There is no doubt". What do we intend to do to protect our children today and tomorrow? Where will we take it from here? Schools are concerned that they do not have the support from the HSE and the social workers. It is not the fault of the social workers. They are hard-pressed professionals.

Another case that comes to mind is the 50% of reports made in Galway, for example. There were more than 1,500 cases of neglect last year, more than 750 of which were from the non-national community. We need a rollout of training and information to explain that certain types of behaviour, chastisement and abuses are not acceptable in this country. That is of major concern.

I welcome the commission's work but I put in the caveat that we must also look to the future. There must be a full rollout of training on the Children First guidelines——