David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is with sadness again that I note we are faced with a case in which the HSE's action, or rather lack of action, in how it dealt with a child abuse allegation has come in for criticism by the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan. In upholding a complaint by a family, she found that the HSE's actions had negatively affected the child involved. She was critical of the HSE's failure to allocate a social worker, its failure to arrange an early face-to-face meeting with the child and its failure to provide psychological or therapeutic services to the child. She was also critical of the significant problems in communication between the HSE and the child's mother which resulted in a breakdown of the relationship between the mother and the HSE.

I do not hold the Government responsible for all complaints made by individuals to the HSE. I take the view that the Government cannot micromanage everything that happens in the health services generally. However, we seem to have a systemic problem in the State in how we deal with complaints relating to children, allegations of child abuse and how the HSE and its policies protect children when complaints are made. This is a serious case. A serious complaint was made and upheld by the Ombudsman for Children. We must have regard to that. Despite all the debates we have had in the House, and there have been many passionate debates by people on all sides, on how we can improve the relationship between the State and children, how we can improve services that the State provides and how we can improve protections for children, we still have failures in the system.

This is just one example of many of which Members are aware. Another recent report also showed up failures in respect of children in State care.

It also is a mistake that there is only one item for discussion on today's Order Paper. There have been many calls in recent weeks for alternative budget debates with Ministers, as well as calls for debates on education cuts, for example. Members could be discussing the issue I have just raised or the outcome of the Constitutional Convention but yet there is only one item on the agenda today after which the business of the day will be finished. In the week on which the people are being asked to vote on the future of this House, this is bad and it is regrettable the business again is so light. While I do not necessarily blame the Leader for this, in all the calls made by Senators on all sides for a range of issues to be debated in this House, for only one legislative item and not more to be on the Order of Business is a mistake. I hope this will not be a feature in the coming weeks as regardless of the outcome of the referendum, Members have a job of work to do in this House.