Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

I refer to the comments of the Ombudsman for Children regarding the accommodation provided for unaccompanied minors. I raised this issue last week on the Adjournment, as I have done on a number of occasions over the past two years. I referred, in particular, to the fact that residential accommodation for children with disabilities, unaccompanied minors and adults with intellectual disabilities is exempt from inspection. I was pleased with the Minister of State's response that next year a number of the residential units that house unaccompanied minors will be closed and, following a reorganisation, they will come under the remit of the inspectorate of children's services. The Minister of State noted that a result of the economic times we are in it will take a little longer for inspections of accommodation for adults with intellectual disabilities to be organised. Will the Leader arrange at this earliest convenience for the Minister for Health and Children to attend the Chamber? It is not acceptable that we can debate issues raised in the Ryan and Monageer reports, for example, and speak about the vulnerable people who were abused in the past and yet when it is within our capacity to ensure such abuse does not happen, we have not taken the steps necessary. I appreciate these are difficult economic times but none of us wants to look back in 20 years with regret that we did not expand the inspectorate.