Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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Yes. Senator Ruane asked about something I wished to ask about that ties in with the joint specialist interviewing. What is going to happen to children outside of these areas? If it were to be children in counties Wexford, Monaghan or Donegal involved, for example, are all these cases going to be referred into one of these centres or how will it work? Will there be gaps? That is, essentially, my blunt question.

Regarding the joint specialist interviewing, trying to get evidence up to the quality of a section 16 recording that can be primary evidence in the case is incredibly important for all sorts of reasons. I have tabled a few parliamentary questions over the years about the number of social workers who get training in this area. My experience previously as a social worker was that some of the best social workers I knew were trained as these joint specialist interviewers to do an interview in co-operation with the Garda at the standard that could be submitted into evidence. Those skills were then never used and those people left Tusla. I know there are people who are training now, but based on the responses to the parliamentary questions I have been asking, the number of trained people has been declining.

It is excellent that we are training people. It is excellent that all these meetings at an upper management level that were mentioned are happening. I also asked a load of parliamentary questions to make sure these were happening, so I apologise for doing that. The meetings and the joint working protocols, are there, they are happening and they are working. When it gets down to ground level, however, it seems there is a disconnect. There are social workers who are trained to a sufficient standard to conduct an interview suitable for evidence and no one is picking up the phone to them. The joint interviews are not happening, so what are the roadblocks in this regard?

Bringing people together via colocation is incredibly important because that creates organic connections. I know it was said that the work happens and these connections are happening, but it is much easier when the person is in the next room. I was at the opening of the new Garda emergency call centre down by Heuston Station. Much of the talk on the day was about it being great that people from the organisations involved were all sitting in the same building because it would allow them to work better. This is what I want duty social workers in the DPSUs to do.