Dr. Finbar Markey:

I will make just one point. With regard to the types of sanctions we would like to see HIQA empowered to enforce on Tusla, we are not talking about financial sanctions. That would be ridiculous and compound other problems. We are talking about repetitive behaviour on the part of a member of staff, whether it is the falsification of information or the manipulation of processes. I have come across so many cases where the judge was erring in favour of the family. Tusla will tell the mother only the night before that her case is being moved and that it is now to be heard in a different county, with a judge it knows will go with it. This is highly manipulative. In those instances where this is provable, we would like to see HIQA able to direct Tusla to demote the relevant staff member or sanction him or her. As an expert in organisational culture, I understand that one of the most powerful things that keeps order in an organisation is myth. If new staff in a workplace hear that someone who manipulated information six months ago was fired and taken to the Garda, they will not do the same. That is completely lacking within Tusla.