Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 10 July 2025
Committee on Children and Equality
Engagement with Tusla
2:00 am
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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-----the messaging is very clear. There is a €60 million deficit to stand still, when we know that Tusla is going to have far in excess of 100,000 referrals next year. I am really conscious of that. We spoke with the Ombudsman for Children a couple of weeks back on the day of a reported plan to hire security personnel with regard to the health and safety of children in placements. That fundamentally concerned me. I do not want to speak on his behalf but I think the ombudsman shared his concerns. What evidence is informing that decision? What checks and balances are Tusla putting in place to ensure that the health and safety of those children and young people are of paramount importance when any security personnel are in their presence?