Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that the process can be very difficult for everybody involved. The Minister mentioned the report. Eight of the 12 allegations made were not investigated or were deemed to be unfounded. There were 91 cases originally. Only one case came back having been found to be founded. That means that in only one case is the sex offender being monitored from the time of referral. That is a concern because Tusla has a legal responsibility to assess the likelihood of a current or potential risk to children. We all need to be sure the resources are in place to ensure safety will be absolutely paramount. I appreciate that things may be better, but will there be a unit in place to examine historical cases? It is very important that there be capacity to allow a bond to be built between a child and a social worker. This is very important in all of the work done by Tusla. It would allow for better co-operation when proceeding with a full investigation.

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