State will be judged on delivery of 99

THE Government yesterday unveiled its long-awaited response to the recommendations of the Ryan report, with the roll-out of the plan likely to cost €25 million.
Children and Youth Affairs Minister, Barry Andrews, launched the blueprint for how children should be protected and cared for by the State, with survivors and children’s rights groups demanding the swift implementation of the measures.

It is a huge undertaking, but then it needs to be.

As Barry Andrews said yesterday, the horrific abuse catalogued in the Ryan report made headlines around the world, and the reaction of campaigners and survivors both here and abroad makes implementing the key recommendations a priority.

Mr Andrews said he believed it would cost some €25m to implement the recommendations over the next three to four years, and that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is committed to the process. The money will have to be found from other places, in addition to achieving more with existing resources.
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Spread under 20 separate headings, the 99 headline-grabbing measures will be music to the ears of many working in the sector.
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Those social work positions are to be filled within the next 18 months, Mr Andrews said, although many in the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) will contend that serious damage was done to those in the system heretofore because of the shortage of staff on the ground.
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The system of inspections will now be extended, with HIQA (the Health Information Quality Authority) to be given powers to carry out checks of foster care placements, facilities caring for those with disabilities and young people seeking asylum, among others.
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A senior manager with sole responsibility for children and families will be appointed within the HSE for the first time, and an out-of-hours scheme will be piloted in two areas ahead of a possible national roll-out.Section 45 of the 1991 Children Act will also be altered to bolster the provision of aftercare to those who grew up in the care system and are turning 18.
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The Children First guidelines will be placed on a statutory footing, and while there is no call for mandatory reporting, state agencies and voluntary bodies that do not report suspected cases of child support could, under new contract terms, be in breach of contract and face sanctions including possible withdrawal of funding or losing their jobs.
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Finally, the minister said that a referendum on children’s rights was still on the agenda, although no timeframe was provided
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What about those abuse survivors living in Britain, one campaigner asked.
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Another questioned the continuing legal barrier to discussing the Redress Board, yet another asked about the high number of scheduled inspections and the possibility of survivors being included on visiting committees to institutions.
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In other words, child protection is being addressed after years of being overlooked or neglected, but it is likely it will lead to cuts elsewhere.