Better oversight of Túsla and private foster care companies, beefing up HIQA's powers and a national emergency out-of-hours service.

Those are just three of twelve recommendations put forward by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs today.

It follows hearings earlier this year aimed at improving child protection in the wake of several foster care scandals including the Grace case.

The vulnerable woman with intellectual disabilities was left in a foster home in the south east for almost 20 years despite concerns of sexual abuse.

Other recommendations include giving HIQA more power of enforcement so it could implement its reorts.

There are also proposals to increase oversight of the child and family agency, Túsla, to co-locate Gardai with Tusla officials, and to put a plan in place to make sure children are not returned after repeated instances of removal.

The Irish Foster Care Association is welcoming the proposals; particularly those that recommend allocating a link social worker to every foster child and carer, and the creation of an out-of-hours emergency service. 

Túsla says it welcomes the report which provides valuable insights. CEO Fred McBride says "many of the recommendations are already underway and I look forward to ... working with the Committee and other key partners as we continue to develop this crucial service for children in Care. I’d like to express my admiration to foster carers who open their homes and dedicate their time to children who find themselves in very difficult circumstances and are unable to live with their family - they are the backbone of our child protection system.”