Vol. 552 No. 2
156 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will report on the inspection currently under way into the Finglas Children's Centre, Dublin 11; if he will request the inspector to include interviews with some of the large number of staff who have left this service over the past three years in order to establish their reasons for leaving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12245/02]
The Deputy is referring to the independent inspection of the Finglas Children's Centre being carried out by Mr. M. Laxton, who is an internationally recognised expert in the field of residential child care. The inspector has been meeting with centre management, staff and children resident in the centre in the course of the inspection. In addition, he has access to my Department's files on the centre and files held by the centre itself including those relating to personnel-staffing issues. This is an independent inspection and, it would be inappropriate for me to try and direct the inspector to conduct the inspection in a particular manner. However, it is open to the inspector to meet with and interview any staff member of the centre and others, including former staff, where he considers this necessary and appropriate to the satisfactory completion of the inspection process.
I am aware of the Deputy's interest in this centre and to reiterate my invitation to her to meet the inspector if there are concerns that she wishes to bring to his attention.
157 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and nature of disturbances which have occurred at the Finglas Children's Centre, Dublin 11 to which the Garda had to be called in the past six months. [12246/02]
The information requested by the Deputy has been requested from the centre and I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
