Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, and it will be independent. The progress of commissioning the independent research has already commenced. I agree with Deputy Ó Laoghaire that in terms of understanding social work decision-making it would be helpful to have social work input. The chair of the board of Tusla has responded to my request to commission that independent piece of research and is currently putting it in place.

In regard to the Deputy's call for a wider audit, there are two points I would like to make. It is important to note that the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, has inspected all of the Tusla child protection services, including how social workers' respond to children in emergency. All actions identified by HIQA are being implemented. HIQA and Tusla report any outstanding issues to my Department. All of their inspections reports are published. In regard to the statutory investigation that I directed HIQA to have carried out under section 9 of the Health Act, the Deputy should look again at the terms of reference as they relate to the handling of child sex abuse allegations, which at my request provide that if in the course of that piece of research there are reasonable grounds to believe that there are further or other serious risks to children or persons receiving services these should be reported to HIQA or to me as Minister. There are many ways in respect of which Tusla is currently under scrutiny, some of which were put in place by me. I must wait until these have been completed and reported to me, when I will then consider what further action might be necessary.

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