Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Specific funding, some €220,000, was made available for safeguarding and that is the question here. We are trying to understand this. I speak as a former Minister. Protocols relating to letters of this nature, that relate to a public issue which affects thousands of people, are a key component of Tusla's statutory work. Tusla is a statutory agency with the power of legislation behind it. We have to acknowledge that one would have thought there would be a clear line of communication to the Minister's officials, if not directly to the Minister's office, for a response to the granting of an extra €220,000 for safeguarding, which was reported on 21 February, when clear concerns were raised by Tusla on 18 February.