Child services tsar to be appointed

CHILDREN’S Minister Barry Andrews said he hoped to have a new childcare services ‘tsar’ appointed before the end of the year and there was no need for a national audit of foster care services.

Speaking at the opening of a new residential home for young people in the Dublin suburb of Templeogue, Minister Andrews said he “would be hopeful that it would be the new year” before the new national director would be in situ.

“We are making very substantial progress on that, and I hope to be able to give some clear indication as to who we will be taking on,” he said, adding it would be someone from outside the jurisdiction as “we do need a bit of added weight in this area”.