94. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide an update on her engagements with Tusla regarding well-being checks of closed cases; if she has received a progress report or interim report from the agency and-or the independent steering group; if she has requested a broadening of the scope of these checks; and the workforce planning conducted in respect of ensuring that the checks can be conducted as Tusla implements its integrated reform programme. [12617/26]

Sentiment score: 0.27

Will the Minister provide the House with an update on the Tusla well-being checks, which she instigated within her Department on foot of a number of very tragic cases last year, for all children and young people who had their cases closed by Tusla during the Covid years?

Sentiment score: -0.46

I thank the Minister because she has pre-empted the piece I was going to try to discuss with her. To be honest, I have come around to the idea of this project. At the start I was quite cautious because my understanding and the meaning I would infer from "well-being" would suggest that you are getting a thorough understanding of how a child or a young person is, as opposed to what I called at the time a proof-of-existence check - ultimately, that we are just making sure that the child is still alive and still existing within the State. We had an opportunity to meet Ms Ward and her team this week, and it was really informative. I can understand now very clearly the methodology and Tusla's aspirations in this process. I still have some outstanding concerns about the resources it might have to complete these checks. The Minister will not hear criticism from me in terms of the timeframe. If this takes months, it takes months and should be allowed to happen. I ask the Minister to talk to us a little more about that piece. If I was 12 in 2020 and my case was closed, I am outside the scope of this project. Is there a way in which we can amend legislation to ensure we can broaden the scope of this project for anyone over the age of 12?

Sentiment score: 0.33

I thank the Minister for that update. I hear sincerity in her response and I give her my assurance that, from a Social Democrats perspective, whatever we can do to support the Government in trying to seek that legislative change in this instance, I think it would be really important. If we are going to do it, why not do it right in this instance in respect of 12-year-olds and 13-years-olds who experienced lockdown going through a very troubling transition between primary school and secondary school? It was a really troubled time. We need to hear from them in this process. Whatever we can do to support that, we will. I reiterate my thanks and commendation to those involved in this project because it is a significant undertaking. We have heard about the IT specialties that are required, the access to information and challenges. Before it even gets under way in real detail, I look forward to the recommendations that will come from this project in terms of future learnings for institutions of the State to make sure we have accurate information but also appropriate services to follow up. I look forward to further updates on this from the Minister and her Department as this project progresses.

Sentiment score: 0.16