Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. After listening to the Minister's earlier statement, I wish to highlight two matters. I am glad he put an emphasis on the uniqueness of every child. Every child going into the care system is unique, and is unique when he or she leaves. That must be celebrated and supported. The Minister also acknowledged that children in care have different and varying needs, necessitating individualised care. That is massively important in terms of care planning.

There were almost 6,000 children in care at the end of 2020, and I assume it is around the same number now. When talking about children in care it is important to acknowledge and recognise the extra vulnerability they have in their lives and to ensure they are protected and have an equal and fair chance in life. Some 91% of these children were in foster care and the rest were in residential care or special care placements. Indeed, I had a young man who is in a special care placement doing work experience with me for a week about two weeks ago. He is living in Newbridge but going to school in Portumna, travelling up and down every day. I will not refer to the part of the country but it was an experience to spend a little time with him.

What I know about children in care and care leavers is what I learned from somebody I introduced to the Minister of State a number of years ago, Shane Griffin. I met him in 2014 when I knocked on his door when canvassing in the local elections. We started a conversation that we continued until his death on New Year's Eve in 2019. When I knocked on his door that day he spoke to me about having been a child in care and having been in 19 different care placements. He was very conscious that there was no problem with the homes in which he was placed, but he really needed to be with his mother. He was taken from his mother when he was seven years old. We know that every child who goes into care suffers trauma from their earlier years. There was trauma in his home and he was taken away, as were his siblings, but he needed to be with his mum. He always felt that if his mum had been given the supports she needed, he could have stayed with her. Having said that, he also acknowledged that his siblings thrived in foster care homes. For him, however, he felt that it was very important to talk about that.

He became a passionate critic of a childcare system whose social workers were overburdened, placements were frequently breaking down and which lacked aftercare. He felt the children and their needs and wishes were often ignored, and that traumatised children were further traumatised. He became a strong advocate for children in care and for those leaving care. As we know, in the current system young people leave foster parents at 18 years of age. That is such a young age. I know many foster parents who would love to be able to give that extra care and support afterwards.

I got to know Wayne Dignam of the Care Leavers' Network through Shane. I organised a briefing one day in the audiovisual room, which was attended by the Minister of State. That was when we could have briefings. I am thinking of Wayne today, of Shane's daughter, Hayley Ann, and all the wonderful people I have met who continue to be great advocates, as is the Chair. I compliment my colleague, Senator Ruane, for ensuring we held this debate. There is so much more we need to do and say, but I was strongly touched by Shane's story and I wanted to bring it to the House.