Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I pay tribute to Christine Buckley whose death was announced yesterday for her courage and strength in raising the difficult issue of the abuse of children in State institutions. She fought her fight with dignity until the end. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.

I welcome the Garda Inspectorate's reform proposals, about which I hope we will hear more later. It is reported that the penalty points system will be centralised and subject to regular audit. Anybody seeking to terminate penalty points will have do so in a clear and transparent way, which is welcome.

I welcome Mr. Frank Flannery's decision to resign from the various posts he held, including the chairmanship of the Forum on Philanthropy. He should appear before the Committee on Public Accounts, not least to answer questions about his board membership of TBG Learning and National Learning Network. He appears to have been a member of both boards which provide substantial training, which National Learning Network provides though SOLAS, the HSE and the Department of Social Protection. He was paid by TBG Learning through his own company, Laragh Consulting. There are wheels within wheels. Well done to him for resigning from these positions, but he should appear before the Committee of Public Accounts as soon as possible.

I seek a debate on the issue of inter-country adoption, a subject that has come up again and again. Rosita Boland wrote a personal account of her difficulties in this regard in last Saturday's edition of The Irish Times. Only 11 children were adopted under the post-Hague declaration between 2011 and 2013. Clearly, there is a problem. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to come to the House to discuss this issue? I acknowledge that she was in the House recently to take an Adjournment matter, but we should address this issue and have a debate with her on a system that clearly is clearly if there have only been 11 such adoptions in three years. It is causing considerable stress and heartache for the families concerned.