I wish to highlight a deeply troubling trend in the removal of newborns by Tusla. Recently, it has been reported in the media that a newborn who was taken just 14 days after birth is now failing to thrive. The child has lost weight, is vomiting after every feed and is on reflux medication. All of this is occurring post-removal and the switch from breastfeeding to formula in State care. This infant's suffering underlines a failure of proportionality in State intervention. The damage inflicted in these early days, including malnutrition, developmental setbacks and emotional trauma, can leave life-long scars. We do not know how many newborns face this fate each year. Tusla's published performance data contains no separate metric for newborn removals and there is no public accountability around whether breastfeeding options are prioritised.

Given the potential for irreversible harms, I call on the Minister to appear before the House without delay. We urgently need clarity on how often Tusla removed newborns. What safeguards exist to protect their nutritional and developmental needs? What oversight mechanisms hold Tusla's leadership, under CEO, Ms Kate Duggan, accountable for these decisions? If we are serious about protecting the most vulnerable, our youngest citizens, we must interrogate this practice openly and thoroughly. Therefore, I call on the Minister to attend this Chamber at the earliest opportunity to address these critical questions. We should have learned from the mother and baby home scandals. We do not want this coming down the road again in our futures. No newborn should ever be whipped away from their birth mother like that - ever. Tusla must put in the supports to look after that birth mother and child in the earliest days.

I wish everybody in the Chamber a very happy Christmas and I will be thinking especially of Senators Costello and Clifford-Lee, who will be without their parent this year for the first Christmas. I wish you all a very happy Christmas.