Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an tAire Stáit. The motion before the House is important not least because of the tragedy involved but to ensure lessons are learned for the future. Senator O'Toole is correct that there is a need for joined-up thinking on this matter.

We all know that early intervention is critical and that this requires resources, action and political motivation. Similarly, there is a growing view that mandatory reporting should be introduced, an issue also requiring debate. When speaking of stakeholders and the realm of people involved, including juvenile liaison officers, the Garda, psychologists, social workers, educationalists, HSE case workers and families, we must remind ourselves that it is people we are talking about.

The Monageer report leaves out much more than it contains. The motion before us is a simple one — I hope Senator Mary White is listening — which calls on the Government to send this report to committee where it can be debated in private, ensuring a frank and open discussion devoid of politics. That is what the motion is about. We must ensure a positive outcome from this report so that no other family will have this tragedy visited upon them. It is appropriate at this point that I sympathise with the Dunne family. None of us in this House can comprehend the pain which the remaining family members have to endure.

Deputy Alan Shatter, when speaking on the Ryan commission report, made a very good point. He stated: "It is clear that the culture of secrecy and cover-up is alive and well." We cannot allow cover-ups or secrecy to continue when it comes to reports that affect people. The Ryan commission report states that the needs of the child should be paramount and that management at all levels should be accountable for the quality of children's services. The buck stops with the Minister, the Government, the HSE and those employed to provide care. Let us not cod ourselves anymore. Let us stop the political pandering in this House. This issue requires political action by those who dictate to the HSE what should happen. That is the reality.

Where were the social services? Where are our mental health services? The report, A Vision for Change, was trumpeted as a the great new way forward. With respect, we can launch all the glossy papers and reports we want but if they are not followed up by action rather than mealy mouthed platitudes, we will get nowhere. What assessments of needs were carried out? Where were the community services? Relationships must be built up. I am only an ordinary punter who does not use fancy jargon or lexicon. We must arrive at a point whereby assessments are made and necessary action is taken. This was not done.

The Garda, local curate and undertaker acted with credible foresight in terms of what they did. What happened? They ended up on a roundabout and nothing happened. The Minister for Health and Children said nothing happened because the incident arose outside normal working hours. What about weekends? We are living in a society where an increasing number of people are at risk. Are we living in the real world? More of our people are at risk, including young families and young professional adults who are vulnerable and feel let down by society. These people are reaching out for help and we have an obligation to help them to provide them with hope.

In this regard, Members need only look around their own communities. I met a couple this week whom I have known for more than 20 years, both of whom are heartbroken at not being able to conceive a child. Issues such as inter-country adoption are forcing a change in mindset and are altering emotional behaviour. Never more than now have people required the assistance of the organs of the State. We are living in traumatic times, be the issue the Ryan commission report, the Monageer report or the Kilkenny incest case. We need to be people centred and people focused and to forget about budgetary constraints. This is not about budgetary incomes but about people, including children, husbands, wives and adults.

The word "redacted" was used. Senator Fitzgerald is correct. It means blacked out or censored. The Minister of State will not publish the full report because he is afraid of what will happen. Are we codding ourselves? The report we are discussing failed to identify a motive for what happened. Are we, as Senator O'Toole said, hiding behind legal matters and so on? The report has been edited, with seven of the 26 recommendations and 15 of the 31 conclusions blacked out. How are we to move forward? This is about people and not outcomes or concepts. We are speaking about human beings. The Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, knows what I am talking about.

We need a national out-of-hours social work service. Swift and appropriate action must be taken. What happened after the Garda, priest and undertaker raised their concerns? The State failed the Dunne family. This must be the last family to be so treated. It is not enough for Ministers to give us political jargon and lectures because the core duty of the State and public representatives is to protect the vulnerable in society. If the Government is not a voice for the downtrodden and the afflicted it has failed in its duty.

This report must be shared with the Joint Committee on Health and Children because we need to find out what happened and what we can do better in responding to people who need help. We can black out names if necessary but we must learn for the sake of the future. I have a difficulty with censorship based on legal advice if it causes paralysis owing to fear of litigation. By considering the report in private, the committee will be able to make recommendations on policy and legislative reforms.

I raised on the Order of Business the extraordinary situation whereby 8,000 reports of child abuse and neglect have yet to be investigated. Out of a total of 2,255 reports received in the four Cork local health offices, initial assessments were carried out on only 585 children. The HSE ignored 74% of the reports on children at risk. If the Government condones that, it has learned nothing from Monageer or the report of the Ryan commission report. I hope we no longer allow the State to abdicate its responsibilities.