Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for being here today. I will preface my contribution by saying that although we need to focus on aftercare provision and foster care, we must not lose sight of the reasons people end up in care in the first place and we should always focus on prevention as well as the aftermath of children who have been in care. Senator Seery Kearney hit the nail on the head in what she said. If we are going to judge and make assessments of how people parent or what they can or cannot give their children, we want to be 100% sure that when the State steps in to be that other parent, we will increase that child’s ability to flourish and have a positive outcome and not decrease his or her capacity.