Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
823. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will implement the recommended action 75 of the Ryan implementation group for a professionally managed national archive to be developed as a central repository for the records for all children in care; and her views that there are barriers to the implementation of this recommendation. [21146/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (The Ryan Report) was published in 2009. The Government accepted all of the recommendations of the Ryan Report, and in response developed an Implementation Plan which set out a series of 99 actions which addressed the recommendations to improve services to children in care, in detention and at risk.
The Government approved the Fourth and Final Monitoring Report of the Ryan Implementation Group which illustrated that the vast majority of the recommendations (i.e. 94 out of a total of 99) have been implemented or are being implemented on an ongoing basis. The fourth and final report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 13 March 2015.
It should also be noted that the Monitoring Group, which authored the Report, welcomed the significant positive developments that have taken place over the lifetime of the Implementation Plan. While overall progress in relation to the actions in the Ryan Implementation Plan was good, it was noted that 5 of the 99 actions were not yet complete, including Action 75 referred to by the Deputy which relates to a professionally managed national archive to be developed as a central repository for the records for all children in care.
Responsibility for the Action lies with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and it is included in their 2016 business plan (Short Term Output B - Alternative Care Strategy, P. 57) as follows:-
"Establish a professionally managed central repository for the records for all children in care including records created in non-statutory agencies".
I will continue to liaise with Tusla as regards implementation of this Action. While financial constraints are always a challenge, the Government is committed to full implementation of all outstanding Ryan recommendations and I have undertaken to keep the Government informed of progress until full implementation is achieved.
