Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank her for her remarks. I also thank her for her swiftness in responding to our request that she come to this House.

The opening paragraph of the Minister's address is one upon which we should focus and reflect. I will quote from it because it is very important. The Minister said: "This has been the result of the actions of the State, its agencies and its employees — those who should protect and serve our citizens, not persecute them." That is the fundamental issue that must be addressed by the HIQA inquiry. I welcome the Minister's commitment in setting up that inquiry. Who will lead that inquiry on behalf of HIQA? What resources will be put into it? The Minister said that the inquiry will be swift. What is the timeline for the inquiry? The Minister made reference to section 9 of the Health Act 2007 and it is very important that we restore public confidence in Tusla.

I speak as the former Chairman of an Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children which interacted with Tusla on numerous occasions and I must put on record that there are many fine social workers, counsellors and staff in Tusla who do an excellent job. We should not tar all of them with the same brush but whether one has a jaundiced, cynical or even supportive eye, the copy and paste argument simply does not add up. I must stress that point. I understand, as I said earlier on the Order of Business, that we are not the judge and jury here but that just does not add up. Something, somewhere is very wrong. One can argue, in the context of electronic files, as to whether one can open one or two files at a time but that needs to be fully addressed.

The Minister almost had a hanging this week, in terms of accountability and her being a political figure. The Minister is accountable, as is the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and Equality. As politicians, we are accountable but nobody in the HSE or Tusla has been held to account to date. There must be accountability. I am not looking for a head and am not taking a populist approach when I say that I want accountability. This Government, the Minister and the inquiry she has set up must be on the button in terms of ensuring accountability.

The Minister made reference to the role of Tusla in her speech and it is very disappointing to see Tusla embroiled in this controversy. We all share the desire to see the McCabe family get what they deserve, namely, truth and justice. In saying that, have we learned nothing from the abuse scandals of the past? Have we learned nothing from the collusion, the obfuscation and the denial of justice to victims? I thought we had turned a corner. Following all of the reports into various incidents of abuse, I thought we had learned from the past. If the Minister does nothing else, I ask her to ensure that the organisation that is charged with minding and protecting our young and most vulnerable gets its house in order. In doing so, she will be adding to her very important legacy in public life in this country. I listened to Mr. Fred McBride, whom I know and respect, and wondered how he, as the head of Tusla, could not get an answer. Am I right in saying that he did not get an answer for 18 months? Senator Clifford-Lee is correct to point out that Tusla has statutory obligations that it must fulfil.

I commend Deputy Jim Daly, the Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs for bringing Tusla before that committee so swiftly. The committee system in the Houses of the Oireachtas, despite the limited scope in terms of questioning, interrogating and compelling witnesses, has very strong cross-party support and it is important that the committee system stands up for itself.

At the end of her speech, the Minister referred to incorrect information about the McCabes and described it as horrendous. She is right in that. The damage it has done can never be erased and its impact can never be overestimated. The wounds are deep and will linger.

There is a big question around the links between Tusla and An Garda Síochána that must be answered. In conclusion, I ask for a timeline on the HIQA inquiry, when it is expected to report and the mechanism for reporting back.