In view of the attitude the Minister has now taken I would ask him a few questions about this. In view of the emphasis on the role of the family and close relationship with the family, and in view of the emphasis laid on community involvement by all organisations who have reported on this subject and in view of his own statement that social workers and the welfare service of his Department will work with these children and their families, how does he propose that a satisfactory system can be arranged with 100 miles dividing parents and children? How will he bring about a situation in which to rebuild a relationship between parents and child or even build such a relationship for the first time where none existed, when parent and child are 100 miles apart? How can this be done and what rehabilitative purpose will Loughan House serve?

The position is that I have never at any stage said that Loughan House is being put forward as a complete solution to a particular problem or as anything more than a necessary immediate response to an emergency situation. I believe a situation exists, that something must be done about it and I think I am trying to do the best that can be done about it, even though I know it is not the answer and is not a complete solution to a very serious problem. There is a certain strong streak of Utopianism running through many of the criticisms being made of Loughan House. If we had unlimited resources and had begun 50 years ago I have no doubt the present situation would be better, but unfortunately the harsh reality now is that no country, not even the most wealthy, has been able to solve the problem which we have, as the Deputy knows, by the methods advocated by some of those critics.