Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----who is due to retire on Monday but has no wish to retire on Monday and neither do the people of Dundalk wish to see him retire. I will ask my colleague, Deputy Dillon, who is the Minister of State with responsibility in that Department, if anything can be done. There is obviously a role for the local authority there but I do not wish to speak for it. The Deputy’s office might contact the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, after this. Let us see if clarity can be brought to the issue.

On the issue raised by Deputy Tóibín, I have a detailed note but not for this question, unfortunately. I am happy to write to the Deputy on the issue of children in care who have gone missing in our State. It is a serious issue and it is taken seriously as well. We need to do more in terms of beefing up our child protection services. I would argue that we have made a number of steps in recent years, whether it is constitutional change, legislative change or the establishment of Tusla. The Deputy’s ask, that we do more in relation to the budget in this area, is one that I will take it very seriously.

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