Ms Saoirse Brady:

If an application is made to the court, a secure-care order is considered and a detention order is given, Tusla can wash its hands of it, and this is what happens. There is a conflict between these two pieces of legislation. The other thing I would say is that there used to be a Irish youth justice service co-located between the Departments of children and justice. Those are now siloed again. Policy on Oberstown sits in the Department of children and the youth justice system sits in the Department of justice. They speak to each other but they are siloed and need to come together. We have made a case multiple times for a youth justice agency like they have in other jurisdictions to address this and bring a lot of these things together.