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Dáil Éireann Vol. 805 Wednesday, No. 2 29 May 2013 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 29/05/2013A00100Leaders’ Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 442 29/05/2013D00500Message from Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 449 29/05/2013D00700Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 449 29/05/2013E06800Suspension of Member � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 453 29/05/2013G00250Order of Business (Resumed) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 455 29/05/2013H00250Access to the Countryside Bill: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 459 29/05/2013H01000European Council: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 460 29/05/2013Q00750Topical Issue Matters � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 479 29/05/2013Q01200Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) � � � � � � � � � � � � � 481 29/05/2013V00100Ceisteanna - Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 487 29/05/2013V00125Priority Questions� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 487 29/05/2013V00150Departmental Bodies Expenditure � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 487 29/05/2013W00450Family Income Supplement Application Numbers � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 489 29/05/2013X00250Housing Assistance Payments Implementation � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 491 /2013YAnti-Poverty Strategy � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 493 29/05/2013Z00050National Internship Scheme Administration � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 495 29/05/2013AA00100Other Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 497 29/05/2013AA00200Illness Benefit Applications � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 497 29/05/2013AA00900Job Initiatives� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 499 29/05/2013BB00250Jobs Initiative Inquiry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 501 29/05/2013CC00400Employment Support Services � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 502 29/05/2013CC01400Topical Issue Debate � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 504 29/05/2013CC01500Crèche Inspections � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 504 29/05/2013HH00250Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme Issues � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 514 29/05/2013JJ01150Social and Affordable Housing Provision � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 518 29/05/2013LL00200Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 522 29/05/2013YY00500Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � � � 549 29/05/2013KKK00100Message from Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 582 29/05/2013KKK00300Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 582 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 29 Bealtaine 2013 Wednesday, 29 May 2013 Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10�30 a�m� Paidir. Prayer. 29/05/2013A00100Leaders’ Questions 29/05/2013A00200Deputy Micheál Martin: Last week, I questioned the Tánaiste about the “Prime Time” special on the quality of services in crèches and early childhood services� We both agreed the early years are the most crucial in terms of development of children, with the most critical years being from zero to three� Anyone who watched “Prime Time” last night, as I did, would have been shocked and con- cerned at the footage that RTE took in a number of crèches� It is fair to say the programme un- covered cruelty, emotional abuse, physical heavy-handedness with children being flipped and thrown on to mats, verbal abuse and exclusion of very young children� In many respects it was the very antithesis of what should happen in any early childhood care setting� There was clear evidence of gross mismanagement of these centres� There was a fundamental abuse of the trust parents place in the management of these services� There was evidence of fraudulent recording of attendances to fulfil the requirements for funding under the preschool year and there were clear breaches of preschool regulations� It emerged that 75% of all child care services nationally were in breach of regulations in 2012 and 48% of crèches were in breach of adult to child ratios during inspection� Would the Taoiseach ask the Minister if, in retrospect, it was a good idea to increase the preschool ratio from 10:1 to 11:1? Fundamentally, there is an issue surrounding the extent and quality of the inspection regime itself. We still have no inspectors in five of the local health office areas of the HSE: Dublin south city, Sligo-Leitrim, Louth, Cavan and north Monaghan� The quality of the inspection is compliance-based as opposed to development-based and the model has been called into ques- tion� We were promised the Children First legislation and I hear it might not be ready before the end of the session� There is an onus on the Oireachtas, having witnessed what we saw last night, to work collectively to ensure two elements of legislation that were promised over the 442 29 May 2013 past 12 to 18 months are accelerated as a response to the situation - the Children First Bill and the child and family agency� We are willing to have an all-party committee approach, which we had before in the 1990s during the first Child Care Act and was a breakthrough at the time. This is a wake up call for anyone who is concerned about this area� We are willing to co-operate to ensure the Children First legislation is brought through the House as quickly as possible� When can we expect that Bill to come before the House and to be fully enacted into law? 29/05/2013A00300The Taoiseach: I thank Deputy Martin for the manner in which he has raised this matter� There is nothing more important to this country than the children of the nation� I did not have the opportunity to see all of the programme last night but what I saw shocked me� It was clearly an abuse of the responsibility entrusted by parents to people when they hand over their chil- dren to have them looked after while they go about their business� No one who watched that programme could not have been moved by what they saw� It is important to say all child care services around the country are not as was demonstrated in the worst of what I saw yesterday evening� It is important to say that, from a Government’s point of view, we will be happy to work with other parties in terms of co-operation in dealing with the child and family agency Bill� That will be brought before the Government in the next four to five weeks so we will co-operate with all parties to see the passage of that Bill takes place� There is an opportunity for the im- age, brand and culture that has existed for some time to be smashed by the setting up of the new child and family agency� It is not just a case of the introduction of a new agency with a new title that ticks the same old boxes; the programme yesterday evening showed what is happening in a number of crèches� God knows what has happened in other locations� Most people in this House have been through this in one form or another with their children� Any parent can understand the circumstances that apply, and can get an impression of the environment and the atmosphere and the responsi- bility that is evident in child care centres� Clearly, the appointment of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the children’s referendum, the bringing in of the child and family agency and the putting of children’s rights on a statutory basis, with the heads of that Bill coming before the Government shortly, are all matters of serious importance in the interests
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