Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The McCabe incident which, of course, we are not going to discuss here triggered the report and investigation, but the difficulties in Tusla were well known and had been well recorded in advance of them. What is of deep concern is what seems to be the scale of the systems failure within the agency on matters people would regard as the basics.

It is not that sophisticated systems seem to have failed here but that even the basics were not right in terms of reporting, recording and proper communications and standards.

I appreciate that an action plan will be published. I understand it will be made public and will be available on the Tusla website. I assume the Taoiseach and the Minister are giving an absolute commitment to ensure the action plan is actioned. However, a question remains on the issue of accountability and I ask the Taoiseach to address it. I will study the report carefully but I understand it catalogues massive failures at every level. I want to know who is to be held accountable for that.

See this speech in context