Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the finding in a new study by Trinity College, Dublin academics which looked at the recommendations of five high-profile inquiries into child abuse in families between 1993 and 2010 that there is recommendation fatigue; the implication of same on inquiries in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53807/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the publication of the report ‘An examination of recommendations from inquiries into events in families and their interactions with State services, and their impact on policy and practice’ by Dr Helen Buckley & Dr Caroline O’Neill of the School of Social Work and Social Policy, at Trinity College Dublin

This report was commissioned by my Department and considered the implementation of recommendations resulting from five inquiries into child abuse in families between 1993 and 2010. These were: the Kilkenny Incest Inquiry; Kelly Fitzgerald report; West of Ireland Farmer Case; the Monageer Inquiry and Roscommon Child Abuse Case. The objective was to determine the degree to which inquiry recommendations were implemented and to assess their impact in the context of policy initiatives and reforms.

While I am pleased to see that many inquiry recommendations have acted as a mechanism for positive change, I am concerned that the findings of this study have also revealed a type of ‘recommendation fatigue’. It is important to note that this research report does provide clear advice, based on international best practice, on how to approach future reports. A key message is that future inquiries should take a fresh approach in order to minimise the number of prescriptive recommendations. The report recommends that the focus of inquiries should be on key learning points which may be disseminated within and across organisations. Specifically, it proposes that recommendations should be drafted in a forward looking phase of an inquiry process, as distinct from the fact finding backward looking initial phase of an inquiry, and that they should be developed based on a collaborative approach with those who will be responsible for their implementation. The report also recommends that inquiries should ensure that the recommendations are informed by all relevant sources of information, knowledge and expertise. They should be framed in a way that illustrates the rationale for change, promotes learning, cites evidence, identifies the organisation or sector responsible for their implementation, and outlines them in such a way that progress in their application will be easy to evaluate.

In general, it is a matter for individual Departments to take the appropriate action on any recommendation relevant to its work. Where recommendations are proper to my Department, they form part of the process of policy development and, if appropriate, inform the usual business planning processes. As regards the higher level oversight of recommendations, my officials are currently preparing a monitoring framework in respect of all significant child care reports. This involves reviewing current monitoring and reporting mechanisms, with a view to capturing all relevant recommendations thematically, and to streamline progress reporting. The purpose in doing do is to provide for the effective and sustained implementation of recommendations across Departments and Agencies, and to reduce the reporting burden on Departments and the HSE. It is intended that the monitoring framework will be put in place following the completion of the formal monitoring process for the Ryan Commission Implementation Plan.