I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment of the House. The failure of the Minister to implement in full the Child Care Act, 1991, initiated in 1988, is bordering on criminal negligence. The need for the legislation was recognised by the Minister when, as Opposition spokesman, he contributed to the Second Stage debate of the Bill on 14 June 1988, columns 184, 185 and 186 of the Official Report of 14 June 1988 refer.
The need for the legislation was obvious to everybody in this House. The legislation initiated in 1988 was dealt with by a number of Governments in its course through the House and eventually became available for passing into law. I do not wish to be personal but it is a sad reflection on the Minister for Health that after two years in office, during which time it was his prerogative to implement or enact in full the provisions of the Bill, that has not been done.
A number of serious incidents throughout the country in the past number of years have come to light and with which the Minister and everybody in this House is familiar. The Minister has failed to recognise that the delay in implementing those main provisions of the Bill has obviously put a number of children at risk.
The mere appointment of additional social workers, while welcome, does not address the serious problems such as ensuring that children are put in a place of safety or the removal of the person or persons likely to pose a threat to the safety or well-being of the child concerned. A supervision order would enable health boards to carry out as many visits as necessary to safeguard a child's safety. The need for regular supervision and inspection of residential centres must be obvious to everyone, particularly in view of several recent tragic events which time does not allow me to go into in detail. Suffice to say, without referring to the particular cases, that the Minister is well aware of the need to ensure that the provisions which would eliminate the situations that have arisen could be implemented without further delay.
I am certain that the Minister is a deeply caring and conscientious person — I have no reason to disbelieve that and will not make any allegation to the contrary — who genuinely wishes to ensure the maximum protection of children as envisaged under the Act. Unfortunately, by his procrastination in this instance, he is prolonging the threat to children at risk throughout the country in residential centres or in their homes. Any further delay in the enactment of the remaining important sections of the Act may put the health of certain children at risk at best and, at worst, their lives may be in danger.
I call on the Minister to act now because tomorrow may be too late. I refer him to the debate on 14 June 1988 where, as reported at column 184 of the Official Report he stated: "Parts III and IV contain the core issues". If I were talking to a Minister who did not understand the situation or was not familiar with the health portfolio or did not have a good track record of highlighting health issues in the House, I would say there was some excuse but I am speaking to a Minister who is familiar with the urgent need to implement the provisions of the Act in full. All 77 sections were deemed necessary at the time as is patently obvious to the Minister.
