Childcare groups yesterday called for a national plan for children. The calls came on the eve of a conference at which the State's childcare record is likely to come under attack from speakers from the UN.
Ireland's provision for children was described as "shameful" by Mr Owen Keenan, director of Barnardos, at the opening of a new family support service in Cork.
The Resident Managers' Association, whose members run children's homes, complained of "a continuous stream of cases highlighting the inadequacies in the system" in a statement issued at its annual conference in Ennis, Co Clare.
Today, the chairwoman of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ms Sandra Mason, will address a conference in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, organised by the Children's Rights Alliance, which represents 60 organisations. Earlier this year, the UN committee was critical of Ireland's childcare services and urged the appointment of an Ombudsman for Children. Several speakers at today's conference are expected to repeat the call.
In yesterday's statement, the Resident Managers' Association alleged that "it is not unusual for children in care to have no social workers allocated to them" and that children in need of care are occupying "numerous" hospital beds. Its chairman, Mr Paul O'Callaghan, said the situation could be tackled only by a special Department of Childcare which would have the task of drawing up a national childcare plan.
Mr Keenan told guests at the launch of the family support service at Mahon in Cork that a national plan would enable the country to meet the challenge of caring adequately for children. The Cork service will be a joint venture between Barnardos, the Southern Health Board and the local community. It is one of 12 being established in various parts of the State.