Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Fitzgerald's call for a debate on the report that came to light this morning. This report was initially due to be published in September 2008 and even though the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children gave a commitment on 6 October 2009 to publish it last year, this was not done. I wish to highlight two comments from the report which set the context for understanding it. The first was from a social worker who wrote in May 1998 that the young girl concerned was extremely vulnerable and not receiving adequate care. The second was from a psychiatrist who conducted an assessment of the child in 2000 and described the provision of care for the girl since she left her grandmother's home in 1997 as nothing short of disastrous.

When the Murphy and Ryan reports were published there was considerable hand wringing, headshaking and tut-tutting. We look back with some disdain at the society of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s which supposedly condoned this kind of carry on. We feel a certain sense of superiority, believing this could not possibly happen in the Ireland of the 21st century. The fact is, however, it is still happening every day. It is a pity Senator Ó Brolcháin is no longer in the Chamber because he assured us once again this morning that the rights of and care for children were at the centre of the Green Party's ethos even though, over the past two months, the Green Party has shown more interest in debating how we care for dogs in this country.

Childline has reported a 25% increase in its calls last year, including 11% increase in calls relating to abuse and welfare. This Government still deems it acceptable that 38% of these calls went unanswered. Children are crying out for help but nobody is available to answer them. That is the legacy and that is why I call for an urgent debate on this issue.