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

I directed HIQA to carry out the report being referred to by the Deputy. HIQA made four key recommendations, one of which was to establish an expert quality assurance and oversight group to support and advise Tusla and the Department on the implementation of the recommendations of this investigation report, as well as the implementation of Tusla’s child protection and welfare strategy and corporate plan. The group referred to as the expert assurance group has been established. I appointed the chair of the group on 29 June and the full membership on 23 August. The group held its first meeting on 30 August and has met three times so far. The membership of the group has expertise in governance, law, human resources and child protection and comprises Dr. Moling Ryan, chairperson; Dr. Helen Buckley, fellow emeritus at the school of social work and social policy, Trinity College Dublin; Mr. Gerry Verschoyle, human resources consultant; Mr. Andrew Lowe, public policy consultant; Dr. Conor O'Mahony, lecturer in law, University College Cork; and Ms Michele Clarke, chief social worker at my Department. The group will report to me each quarter and these reports will be published. I expect the first such report at the end of November.

Each of the remaining three key recommendations is being addressed. The first recommendation is for Tusla to develop an action plan to address the findings in the HIQA report. Tusla's board approved its action plan in September and it is structured under themes of the screening, preliminary inquiry and initial assessment of referrals, safety planning, retrospective cases, interagency working, information management and learning, workforce and governance. The second recommendation is about working with higher education authorities on educational pathways and on an operational review. My officials and officials from Tusla are working with an interdepartmental group that is engaging with third level institutions with respect to the health and social care workforce. My officials are also to meet representatives of the Technological Higher Education Authority and the Irish University Association. Tusla is preparing a workforce strategy that is expected to address recruitment, retention, team skill mix, etc. The third recommendation is for a review of regulatory frameworks. My officials chaired a round-table discussion with national bodies and are carrying out a survey of the regulatory mechanisms in other jurisdictions, as well as a review of literature on relevant regulatory frameworks.

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