Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 2013

Vol. 820 No. 3

Priority Questions

Child Care Services Inspections

Robert Troy

Question:

9. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of additional inspectors for child care services that have been appointed since the end of May this year; the areas of the country where these appointments have been made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48033/13]

The Minister will be aware that, last May, gaps in the number of inspectors were identified in various regions throughout the country. At that time the Minister gave a guarantee that the gaps would be filled. How many additional inspectors have been appointed since May? Will the Minister also indicate the regions of the country where these inspectors are now working?

During 2013, I have prioritised implementation of a preschool quality agenda. This represents a long overdue and long-awaited programme of measures to support, monitor and regulate the improvement of quality standards in preschool services in Ireland. For the first time I have ensured that preschool inspection reports are now online. There are 1,672 reports online, including the most recent 12 reports on inspections that have been conducted on preschool services in recent weeks.

A key element of the preschool quality agenda has been strengthening the national preschool inspection system. The HSE has statutory responsibility for preschool inspections and there are currently 38 whole-time equivalent preschool inspectors in post. I wish to advise the Deputy that the HSE is at an advanced stage of recruiting five additional inspectors to strengthen preschool inspection in Louth, Dublin south-east Wicklow, where two will be recruited, Cavan-Monaghan and Sligo-Leitrim-west Cavan. These are areas where gaps were identified.

On foot of budget 2014, I will also be allocating €4.5 million in Exchequer funding to support the implementation of the preschool quality agenda, with €500,000 of this funding to be allocated next year towards the cost of further increasing staffing levels to strengthen the preschool inspection system. This will be augmented by additional funding from the annual registration fees payable by preschool services, to be introduced as part of statutory registration. The number of additional inspectors to be recruited to the inspectorate as a result of this extra funding and the location of those posts will be decided upon by the new child and family agency in consultation with the Department.

The recruitment of additional inspectors is only one element of the reform of preschool inspections. Management reforms are under way and the new agency will be established next year. These include a programme of work to strengthen the preschool inspectorate to ensure greater consistency nationwide. As I have often stated, there has not been a national plan for the inspection of preschool services up to this point.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

A practical outcome of this work has been the introduction of standard operating procedures earlier this year, which should address the issue of inconsistencies and provide clarity and transparency to early years services. The comprehensive preschool quality agenda, which my Department is progressing, will also address other key preschool inspection reforms, including publishing inspection reports online, strengthening the national inspection system, introducing new protocols on regulatory compliance and enforcement, increasing and widening the sanctions that can be taken for non-compliance, introducing a registration system for all preschool services and implementing new national quality standards.

The legislative provisions to underpin these reforms are contained in the Child and Family Agency Establishment Bill 2013. This legislation will provide a statutory basis for registration of preschool services and will introduce a range of new enforcement powers for inspectors at pre-prosecution level. Under the proposed new system, all preschool services will have to be registered in order to operate. Inspectors will be empowered to specify improvement conditions that a service must comply with and the threat of removal of registration will be available. Currently, 1,679 preschool inspection reports are published online.

The new national quality standards for preschool services will be launched shortly. These will complement the existing preschool regulations replacing previous explanatory notes and will set out the quality outcomes and supporting criteria against which inspection under the regulations will be measured. I am confident that these comprehensive reforms will provide for the operation by the child and family agency of a more consistent and robust preschool inspection regime.

I welcome the fact that the recruitment of five additional inspectors is at an advanced stage, albeit six months after gaps were identified. Will the Minister confirm that there will be no gap in any location after the five additional inspectors have been hired? She stated the recruitment process is at an advanced stage. Will the inspectors take up their positions this year or early next year?

Regarding the funding allocation of €500,000 for additional inspectors next year, what eligibility criteria will be used to determine to which regions they will be allocated?

Will I have time to contribute again?

I will revert to the Deputy.

Some 43 inspectors should be in place by the end of the year. The Louth recruitment is happening this week. The others are at an advanced stage. I expect that those four inspectors will be in place in the coming weeks.

Regarding the funding I have received for the extra ten inspectors next year, the HSE will consider the areas of greatest need. For example, two of the inspectors being recruited now will be allocated to the Dublin area. Some parts of the country have more early years services than others. The allocation of the ten extra posts will be based on levels of need in various counties. In the UK, for example, inspections are carried out approximately every two years. In Ireland, the average is 18 months. However, we want to ensure that this is the case in every area. Where there are many early years school services, we will clearly need more inspectors. If a concern about a particular service arises, we want to ensure that inspectors are in a position to visit it at short notice. Allocations will be based on levels of need in various counties. For the first time, a national manager is in charge of this area. I expect that the team will be in a position to make those decisions.

Given that we are taking on new inspectors and looking at the qualifications of service providers, would the Minister consider that it is an appropriate time to examine the qualifications of those carrying out the inspections?

Will the Minister take on board the recommendations from her expert advisory group on early years, the workforce development plan and an OECD report on child care concerning inspectors' qualifications?

The Minister said the new registration fee will help to fund additional inspections. Will she confirm whether this new fee is an additional one for child care providers or will it replace the existing fee for registered child care providers?

The Minister said she hopes that preschool and early childhood settings will be inspected every 18 months. We are now bringing forward the necessary legislation on Committee Stage. Would it not be prudent and wise to insert in that legislation a provision to inspect such establishments every 18 months at a minimum, if the Minister so desires? At the moment, the legislation refers to inspections happening "periodically", which could lead to a longer timeframe for inspections.

There is a nominal fee at present. This is a registration fee in accordance with the legislation we are debating concerning the child and family agency. That will be a new fee, although the amount has yet to be agreed. Account will be taken of the varying types of services, including private and community ones. The details of that are being worked out and I will liaise with the Deputy. I am sure it will come up for discussion on Committee Stage of the legislation next week.

We are fortunate that so many people have undertaken further qualifications in early year services. There is a lot of expertise but, to date, there has not been a career path for such people. The new mentoring scheme, which was announced in the budget, will begin to be implemented next year and will give scope for career advancement.

The question of inspections should be examined and we could consider people with a wider range of expertise in that regard. It is clear we are at a transition point with the new agency, so we need to allow that transition to go ahead. The issue the Deputy has raised is an important one, in that we can bring in people with experience of the child care sector.

Environmental health officers and public health nurses are working very well, given the challenges they are facing in the sector. That is an issue that can be discussed in due course.

Children in Care

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

10. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to the taking into care, and subsequent early return to their families, of children from Roma families in Dublin and Athlone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48045/13]

I wish to ask the Minister for an update on the recent disturbing cases where children from Roma families in Dublin and Athlone were taken into care. Has the Minister received the HSE report or the report of the Garda Commissioner? Is she in a position to confirm that the Ombudsman for Children has received both reports? Is Ms Logan's inquiry under way? Is she directly involved in this exercise now and when will she report her findings and recommendations?

The Deputy refers to the two cases of Roma children who, following Garda action, were removed under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 and provided with foster care immediately while investigations took place. This has clearly been an extremely distressing situation for the families concerned.

In the first instance I have asked Mr. Gordon Jeyes, the national director of HSE children and family services, to ensure all possible supports are made available to the families from statutory or voluntary groups should they wish to avail of them.

The use of section 12 is a power of the An Garda Síochána which is used in very particular circumstances. The Deputy will be familiar with the Child Care Act and the clear directions which are given therein. By its nature, it is an exceptionally used power to secure the safety of children. Under section 12 a member of An Garda Síochána takes such action when they have “reasonable grounds for believing that there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of a child”.

Child protection is a complex and sensitive issue. An Garda Síochána and the HSE are often required by law to deal with very complex situations and to make immediate decisions when dealing with concerns which come to their attention. It is important to review such incidences to ensure that practices and procedures are in line with best practice.

My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, and I felt that there should be examination of the involvement of An Garda Síochána and the HSE in these two cases. In this regard, I have asked Mr. Gordon Jeyes to provide me with a report and the Minister, Deputy Shatter, has also requested a report from An Garda Síochána. The Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, has initiated an investigation into these cases and has also agreed to undertake an investigation of An Garda Síochána's actions under section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 and under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002.

I can confirm that I have received the reports for each of the cases from HSE children and family services but I have not yet received the Garda Commissioner's report. The report I have received was referred immediately to the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, for consideration. The Ombudsman for Children is an independent statutory authority and will independently assess the actions of the HSE.

The remainder of the Minister's reply will appear in the Official Report.

May I conclude by saying-----

If I allow the Minister to run over time we will not reach the other questions.

In respecting the independent investigations of the Ombudsman for Children, it would be wrong of me to make further comment.

Additional information not give on the floor of the House

I look forward to the conclusion of the process and to addressing the independent findings of the Ombudsman for Children, once she reports on her investigations.

What happened in these cases is a far cry from what we expect from our State child care and support services. Everybody is clearly of this view. Under the Child Care Act 1991 the Garda Síochána must, as referred to by the Minister, have reasonable grounds to believe there is an immediate and serious risk. I am disappointed to hear that the Minister has not yet received a copy of the Garda report, which is referred to in some detail in the media. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, has received the report and was able to elucidate on it. I believe the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, should seek receipt of the report as a matter of urgency. It is important that the HSE and Garda Síochána reports are looked at together.

I am anxious to know the reasonable grounds on which it was believed that the children in these cases were at risk or in danger. These are serious questions. I understand there were other children involved in one, if not both, cases. Why were those children not taken into care? Why were only those children who had a particular hair or eye colour as the case might be taken into care? While I agree that we must await the report and recommendations of the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, we must not delay in making it clear to those who are responsible at the coalface of dealing with cases such as this that the required test in this particular instance could have been undertaken without taking the children from their homes and parents. What immediate steps has the Minister taken to ensure there will be no recurrence of such dreadful cases as these?

We have asked for an independent report. It would not be appropriate to be deciding on the outcome or to make any references to what actually happened until such time as that report has been received. Many people are jumping to conclusions. I do not know how those conclusions will be dealt with by the Ombudsman for Children. We do not know precisely what she will come up with. We do not know the details that led to influencing the Garda Síochána or social workers. We must respect the independent investigation. The Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, is well respected. It will be worthwhile awaiting her report, following which it will be acted upon.

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, is still drawing up the terms of reference required to allow the Ombudsman for Children to investigate the Garda Síochána, which is a new power for her. This work will be concluded within a few days. I have no doubt I shall shortly receive the report from the Garda Commissioner via the Minister for Justice and Equality. Neither the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, nor I have commented at all. I have noted the media reports but neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Shatter, have spoken about these cases and will not be speaking in detail about them pending the outcome of the investigation by the Ombudsman for Children.

That is not the case.

The Minister for Justice and Equality has indicated to the media that the confidential Garda report into the seizure of two Roma children from their parents shows they acted in good faith. The preparation of the report continues, but the issue is in the media and it is not good enough, because of the horrors involved in this instance, to say that we will do absolutely nothing until such time as Emily Logan reports. I am doubly concerned because this is the fourth week after these dreadful events were first revealed and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is telling me that the terms of reference are being drawn up and have yet to be presented to the Ombudsman for Children. This dillydallying is simply unacceptable. This is a very worrying situation for many people and it requires more expeditious address than the Minister's responses are indicating. When will those terms of reference be presented? Will Ms Logan's report have a timeframe so that there will be no further undue delay? Having argued that the Ombudsman for Children should be brought in as the independent person responsible, I have every confidence that the Minister will do the right job and make the right recommendations, but I do not want everything parked in the meantime.

The Ombudsman has the terms of reference as far as the inquiry into the HSE is concerned and she can clearly get on with that element of the report. That is covered by the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002, so there should be no delay with it. I am merely quoting from the Minister for Justice and Equality that on receipt of the report from the Garda Commissioner, he wanted to draw up the terms of reference to ensure that they were appropriate and that he had the opportunity to study the reports which had been submitted to him. He said the terms of reference would be finalised within the coming days. There is absolutely no delay. Both reports have been submitted within the two week timeframe that was agreed. My report has gone to the Ombudsman for Children and I have no doubt she will receive the report from the Garda Commissioner very shortly, as well as the terms of reference from the Minister for Justice and Equality.

For many decades in this country there was a denial about the suffering of children. Many people turned a blind eye and it can be difficult to get the balance right for the front-line workers when they are in these situations. We certainly do not want the community, gardaí, social workers or anybody else turning a blind eye to concerns about children. I am sure the Deputy agrees that we do not want to return to that situation, but it is important that we examine precisely what happened in these two cases. We will have an independent investigation by the Ombudsman for Children, which is the right thing to do.

Adoption Records Provision

Clare Daly

Question:

11. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason for the lack of progress and the inordinate delays experienced by adopted persons attempting to trace their birth mothers and mothers trying to trace their born children; and her plans to resolve this matter. [47753/13]

This question is essentially about the rights of adopted people and the delays they are experiencing in accessing information about their birth mothers, or vice versa where mothers are seeking information about their children. The problem is twofold. First, there is a problem with accessing the existing files. Second, there is a delay in legislative changes, which have been promised since the Government was elected. There is also frustration about some of the religious orders denying people access to that information.

I am conscious of the concerns of those who are seeking information about their birth mother or a child given up at birth. The existing arrangements for those seeking access to information reflect a transition from complex and historical situations and I am anxious that the HSE implement much more improved and consistent arrangements for people in such circumstances. Quite a number of actions have taken place and I wish to inform the House about them.

Approximately 25,000 files have been transferred to the HSE regional adoption service in Cork. We did not have any national approach to these files until after the Adoption Act 2010. We now have 25,000 files in Cork from the Sacred Heart Adoption Society, which had responsibility for Bessboro, County Cork; Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, County Tipperary, and Castlepollard, County Westmeath. The HSE also has records that include those for St. Anne’s Adoption Society, St. Mary’s Adoption Society in Kerry, Ard Mhuire, in Dunboyne in County Meath, Limerick Catholic Adoption Society, St. Patrick's Mother and Baby Home, Navan Road in Dublin, St. Louise's Adoption Society in Dublin, the Dublin Health Authority Board of Assistance, the Rotunda Girls Aid Society, the Ossory Kilkenny Adoption Society, and St. Kevin's and St. John's adoption societies.

The HSE is also in negotiations regarding files from Holles Street, St. Brigid's, and St. Patrick's Guild. Furthermore Pact, which is an agency accredited under the Act, has records of various Protestant organisations. A comprehensive list of records held, and their locations, is available on the HSE website.

In order to deal with the point the Deputy raises, the HSE has also put in place a plan to redistribute records from individual institutions to the various adoption teams around the country in a concerted effort to reduce waiting times. The HSE is also in the process of reorganising the information and tracing system to allocate social work resources countrywide in a way that will allow for reduced waiting times across the country.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The HSE has advised me that, in the first instance, any person seeking information on adoption, or an illegal registration of a birth, should contact the Adoption Authority of Ireland or the HSE community services which will assist in directing them to the personnel dealing with their particular records. The HSE is working to provide a more streamlined service and to ensure that inquiries in regard to information and tracing are handled as quickly as possible.

The national adoption contact preference register was established in 2005 to help adopted people and their natural families to make contact with each other, exchange information or state their contact preferences. They decide, through a range of information and contact options, how they wish to proceed. The Adoption Authority of Ireland has responsibility for the operation of the national adoption contact preference register. The authority has stated that there were 796 applications in 2011, 542 in 2012 and 526 to end September 2013, with a cumulative total of to date of 7,426 adopted persons and 3,312 relatives applying to register.

The authority, the HSE and accredited adoption services routinely inform inquirers about the existence of the register and encourage anyone interested in tracing or gaining information to sign up. I am conscious of recent media coverage of the issue of information and tracing and I would hope that this will encourage more birth mothers in particular to access the contact preference register and where possible to consent to the release of information.

Work is continuing in relation to the preparation of the heads of the adoption (information and tracing) Bill. I am anxious to bring the heads of the Bill before Government at the earliest possible date. The constitutional and legal context within which the development of these legislative proposals must be undertaken is complex. I have agreed with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that, once agreed by Government, the heads of Bill will be the subject of committee hearings so that the complex and sensitive issues involved can be the subject of public consideration.

There is a great deal of information in that response and I respect the Minister's bona fides on this issue but that said, and sincerely meant, there are inordinate delays in this process. Two years ago, in an answer to a parliamentary question, the Minister told me about the Sacred Heart files being transferred to Glanmire. She has now confirmed that there are another 11 institutions whose records have been transferred. There were over 42 mother and baby homes and there are tens of thousands of people whose identities are wrapped up in that information.

I gave the Taoiseach information a couple of weeks ago about somebody who had searched the files for decades and been frustrated in accessing that information but who was able to get it within ten days with the assistance of the Adoption Rights Alliance. Would the Minister consider enlisting the help of volunteers such as the alliance who have been pioneers in this situation? I also need to know where the legislation is in this regard because we have been too subservient to the 1998 court judgment about consent. We could be much more proactive in delivering some of that legislation.

I will make two points in response to the Deputy's questions. I will speak about the legislation in a moment. I take the Deputy's point about work done by voluntary organisations. I have met them and am very happy to work with them but we have a national adoption contact preference register. That is the best place for mothers and for adoptees who want to trace their families. They can put their information onto the national adoption contact preference register. To date, the cumulative total on that is only 7,426 adopted persons and 3,312 relatives applying to register. One can contrast that with the number of files I have mentioned today, 25,000, which is not the total number of files. We certainly need to ensure that everybody who wants to trace and make contact with their families is at the very least applying through the HSE or the Adoption Authority of Ireland to have their names on the national adoption contact preference register because that is the first step.

As regards the legislation, I have very serious legal advice that suggests that retrospective information is not constitutional in this country.

The Minister's reply raises two problems, first, far too many people have come forward with their experience of being frustrated when they sought to find their identity for it to be a coincidence. It is clear that there is a problem in the system. My office alone receives contact from many people who have been deliberately frustrated. The Minister's reply to questions I have tabled have acknowledged that the volume of inquiries in Glanmire was so great that the centre could not grapple with it. I do not know if that is a resources or a blocking issue.

Second, the answers to questions about legislation have changed over the past few years. Two years ago we were told it was close to completion but now we are told there are serious legal problems but the only case is that of 1998 the judgment which many people believe is seriously flawed. Given the stories which even in the past week have hit the airwaves about the many women who did not give consent, or whose documents were forged, it seems to me that the whole area of so-called privacy could be better tested.

They have a decent humane system in other countries where people have access to their identities. It is not complex and we can do the same here.

It is different here because we have a Constitution that respects privacy and there are real issues in this regard. My approach to the legislation has been to make it as broad as possible in order that people can access information. These are the instructions I have been given and that is the way I have been working. I have been getting legal advice all the way through and I intend to publish the heads of the legislation and refer it to committee in order that the constitutional and other issues can be addressed. We can hear from all the non-governmental organisations involved in the area and have a full airing of the issue. It is a matter of great public concern. There are strict legal parameters. It is not only about the 1998 case. It is also about recent European court rulings that have respected the right to privacy. The legal advice I have currently suggests that retrospective information is a difficult matter within the parameters of our Constitution.

Having said that, I am keen to make the point that there should not be deliberate frustrating of anyone who seeks to get birth information where consent has been given. I gather these are the cases to which Deputy Clare Daly is referring in particular. That is unacceptable. The HSE is working to ensure greater access for people to the data and the executive is organising the data in the way I have outlined.

Early Years Strategy Publication

Robert Troy

Question:

12. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to explain the reason the issue of child care affordability was not considered in the recent expert group report on early years strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48034/13]

In light of the recent publication of the Minister's expert group report on early years strategy, will the Minister explain the reason or outline the rationale why child care affordability was not given prominence or consideration in the report given that the affordability of child care in Ireland is possibly one of the greatest issues and challenges facing the sector?

It is a pity this issue did not get more attention in the years when there was so much money around and when child care was a major issue for so many couples who were combining their work and family responsibilities. I am very much aware that affordability in respect of child care services is a major issue for Irish parents. We have lagged behind other countries, and there is no question of that. That is one of the reasons I set up the early years group with broad terms of reference. I asked the group to set out its views on what should be in the early years strategy. I set no restrictions on what the group could discuss or on what the recommendations should be.

The report the group produced, Right from the Start, reflects the group's views. I appreciate the work done. It was a wide working group representing the sector and those who have an interest and who work in this area. It is clear from the recommendations in the group's report that there was consideration of affordability of child care despite the Deputy's suggestion. There is a reference to high child care costs. There are recommendations referring to increasing investment in early care and education services without increasing parental fees and to extending the entitlement to free preschool provision. The argument put forward by the group for State support for quality improvements in child care services would see this important parental priority addressed with support from public funding, and this is what we are doing. I announced the Government decision in the budget to provide €4.5 million towards quality supports for preschool services. This will be of considerable benefit to parents, children and providers.

The extension of entitlement to a free preschool year is also of considerable relevance to the affordability of child care. The financial benefit of that preschool year, which was a good legacy, is of great help to parents in terms of costs, and a second year would save parents approximately €3,000, a considerable amount. The group recommended that before we move on to do that, we need to address quality issues, and that is what we are doing with the mentoring and training programme.

There had been considerable investment in the past decade in respect of child care and a total of 70,000 child care places were created. The Minister adverted to the free child care year. This is a serious issue. Yesterday, we heard the results of a survey, including that 55% of people aged between 20 and 49 years said the cost of child care was an issue and that 25% or one in four people in the country believe they are too poor to start a family.

When one considers the terms of reference for the advisory group the Minister has assembled, it beggars belief that this issue was not given the prominence it deserves. The Government must commit to carrying out a cost analysis of child care-----

-----and set out a clear timeframe and clear parameters as to when such analysis can be reported back to the Houses of the Oireachtas to facilitate an open and frank discussion-----

Thank you, Deputy. I must call the Minister but will let you in again.

-----as to how child care will be subsidised in the future.

We must stick to the times allocated.

It must be a priority for the Government to tackle the issue of affordability. I acknowledge the Minister is undertaking work on quality child care.

Deputy Troy, I will come back to you but I must call on the Minister.

My question to the Deputy is why, when in government, his party gave back more than two thirds of the funds for the early child care supplement, that is, of the €480 million that was allocated to child care at the time? Had that money been retained and invested in child care services, it would have gone a long way towards providing free child care but not a cent of it was reinvested in quality supports or in new inspectors either. Clearly, there is an historical legacy of a lack of investment in subsidised child care. During the boom, apart from the preschool year, no additional supports were introduced to child care services to ensure that parents were not obliged to pay the amounts they must now pay. It is not that the providers are charging so much, because as Members are aware, many workers in that sector are not earning much money. However, no subsidy is in place because over the years, direct payments were given to parents, as opposed to building up the sector. That said, I wish to move to a position in which that second year is in place and in which quality services are available that can be supported to develop. I agree with the Deputy in that as the economic situation improves the entire question of child care costs and support for that sector should be a priority.

Thank you, Minister.

It is something in which the State should be investing increasingly because it is an economic imperative, as well as being a personal imperative for the families. As the OECD has noted, we will need to have quality child care available for parents-----

Sorry Minister, I call Deputy Troy.

-----in the years ahead in order that work and family life can be combined.

Deputy Troy, briefly. One minute.

Earlier this year, the Minister had hoped to introduce a second preschool year in this year. I am glad she has come around to my way of thinking because I had articulated and identified the existence of quality concerns in respect of the entire preschool and early year setting. I am glad this issue is being tackled because quality child care is a necessity, not a luxury, and it is imperative that quality child care be available. When I raised this issue last April, the Minister spoke of how, as growth returns to the economy, consideration can be given to subsidising child care. However, we lack a clear pathway, framework and strategy as to how this will be done, apart from the Minister stating her hope that a second preschool year would be introduced in the coming years. This is the reason a cost analysis of child care should be conducted to examine precisely how child care will be subsidised in the future. It is not right that 55% of young people aged between 20 and 49-----

-----are worried about the cost of child care. Moreover, in the case of one in four people in Ireland, the cost of child care is preventing them from starting a family, as they consider themselves to be-----

Thank you Deputy, I must call the Minister.

-----too poor to so do.

Sorry, Deputy Troy.

Will the Minister give a commitment to carry out a cost analysis of child care in order that a clear framework and strategy can be put in place as to how this issue will be tackled in the future?

I reject the Deputy's comments, as for the first time an early years strategy is in place. I remind the Deputy it is the first time there has been a national early years policy. It is the first time in recent years that a group has been established to specifically examine the sector and to make a series of recommendations that effectively will form the framework for the recommendations on how the child care sector will be developed. Clearly, as the economic situation improves and as the Government deals with the mess it has inherited in respect of Ireland's economic sovereignty, investment in child care is one of the key areas that must be prioritised.

Child Care Services Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

13. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her response to the Health Information and Quality Authority report into Rath na nÓg high support unit; her future plans for the unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48046/13]

I seek from the Minister her personal response as Minister to the Health Information and Quality Authority's report into the Rath na nÓg high support unit, Castleblayney, County Monaghan.

I also seek her views on that report being employed to effect its closure and the closure on same campus site of the educational facility associated with that unit. While I have noted that there are plans to redesignate the site as a child well-being centre and that these are part of the future plan, I want to address the first core part of the question I submitted. The Minister has not responded to me on this point. I wrote to her in this regard two and a half weeks ago but I have not received a reply.

I will ensure the Deputy gets a reply to that letter. As he will be aware, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, recently published a report into Rath na nÓg high support unit outlining serious concerns. As I have said previously, Gordon Jeyes, the HSE's national director for children and family services, had met HIQA officials in September and had discussed the report with them. He informed them of his intention to close the unit by the end of October. The HSE has confirmed to me, as the Deputy will be aware, that the unit is closed.

I was very concerned to learn of the risk to the safety of children in the unit and I welcome the decisive move by the HSE to close Rath na nÓg. As the Deputy said, the HSE has advised me that the premises and resources at Rath na nÓg, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, are being redesignated to provide services as a centre for children, a child well-being centre, where they will receive supports. It will provide specialist, time-limited intervention to children within the catchment area in conjunction with local social work services under the auspices of the children and family services area manager. I hope this community resource will be of great benefit to children and families in the local area.

As I have publicly announced, the HSE has advised me that it is undertaking a national review of all residential care which will result in a reconfiguring of high support and special care units to meet the demand for special care. That review will be completed in the first quarter of 2014.

Has the Minister taken appropriate steps to establish why the national office would have instructed staff at Rath na nÓg to apply a lock-up situation there each night during the hours from 9 p.m. until 7.30 a.m. the next day? This is the core of the objections HIQA had, yet the staff were working not on their own volition but in response to a directive they had received. That directive has been defended by Mr. Jeyes, indicating that in his view any reasonable parent would behave in exactly the same way. I take a very different view. If there were real difficulties at Rath na nÓg, it is most likely that they were consequent on inappropriate placements or an inappropriate case mix rather than any failure or falling down, as it were, on the part of the highly qualified and experienced staff there. No matter how well trained and how well motivated the staff were, once the children were placed under lock and key, something that was never part of the institution in terms of that facility given that it was an open unit, and regardless of whatever relationships were being built upon, it was clear the young people were going to view those highly trained, highly professional and dedicated staff as their jailers and the relationship would collapse.

The Deputy has gone over time. I must call the Minister.

It was never going to succeed once that situation applied. I would like to know what the Minister has established in regard to the facts of that directive.

Let us put this in context. More than 6,000 children are in care in Ireland. A tiny proportion, 0.3%, and that is rightly so, are in residential care. They represent some of the children and young people in Ireland who are most in need of specialist care, protection and intervention.

Poor standards cannot be accepted when working with our young people in any setting. The closure of the unit was deemed to be the most effective response to the serious and ongoing failings identified and the decision was taken in the context of a broader review as well. This was an operational decision taken by Gordon Jeyes. He did it with the best interests of the children at the core of his decision-making. Any decisions that were taken in relation to the children were to ensure they were safe. That report, which I am sure the Deputy has read, outlines serious concerns about risks such as fire safety, self-harm and bullying.

They were not actively managed and the children were at risk. That is why the decisions were taken by Gordon Jeyes. I respect 100% the decisions he took in the management of this unit. I believe the right decision was taken to close this unit.

The implication of the Minister's statement is that in some way the staff at Rath na nÓg were responsible or implicated or had fallen down in their responsibilities. That is not the case. Given it is acknowledged by Mr. Jeyes that the direction relating to the lock-down which created the fire hazard in the first place came from his office, does that not concern the Minister? Will this situation present at the only other open facility in the north east at Crannog Nua, Portrane? What is the situation there? Is this approach and practice in situ there? Are we looking at a further HIQA report that will facilitate the closure of that facility as well? We cannot all be codded all the time. We need to know the facts and the truth and it is important at the outset of the Child and Family Agency that the confidence and expectation of people that a new era is coming in be fulfilled. I am deeply worried and I put that to the Minister in writing but I still have no reply.

The Deputy should be concerned about the detail in the report, which outlined serious and ongoing failures that were not actively managed. HIQA officials go in to inspect residential facilities. They went in and they found serious difficulties so much so that there was active involvement and engagement by HSE staff, including the director. Instead of criticising the director, we should praise him for the active role he took in managing these serious concerns. The concerns at the core of the HIQA report were as follows: "There were serious and ongoing failings identified. They were not being actively managed enough". This is an independent report. Gordon Jeyes managed that situation and he decided in the best interests of those children that the service should be closed.

Top
Share