Micheál Martin says governance failure let vulnerable Kerry children down
Micheál Martin said the failure to protect vulnerable children has caused significant harm to a number of young people in the area.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the report on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs) in Kerry is shocking and demonstrates a failure of clinical and administrative governance.
Speaking at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, Mr Martin said the failure to protect vulnerable children has caused significant harm to a number of young people in the area.
“There are fundamental issues here and what has happened is not good enough,” he said.
Kilkenny TD and chair of the Oireachtas finance committee, John McGuinness, was deeply critical of those responsible.
He said the report showed how we “badly need reform of accountability” in the public service at management level.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien also provided an update on the Government's Housing for All programme.
Mr O'Brien said the pipeline of housing supply is very good.
“The 30% to 40% increase in apprenticeships is a good sign. We are scaling efforts on all fronts to drive forward supply and bring affordability in housing to our communities across the country,” he said.
The Taoiseach said the country is in a better position and now in a new phase with Covid.
He said increased levels of employment is very positive and ahead of all projections.
“Our economy is recovering at a great pace. We recognise the challenges with energy prices and the cost of living. Government has taken targeted measures in social protection and engagement with social partners will also be important over the coming months,” he said.
At the Fine Gael meeting, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said his department is examining the impact of EU sanctions on Russia if they invade Ukraine and any potential counter-sanctions.
The Fine Gael leader told party colleagues his department is profiling how such international measures would look on the ground and affect businesses.
He said the experiences of Covid had shown how businesses can be helped in a shock.
He repeated government concerns about the planned Russian naval exercises off the Irish coast.
