Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am advised that the reviewers concluded that it was unlikely that the abuse could have been uncovered prior to the disclosures. Once the abuse was disclosed in 2007, there was sufficient evidence for the long-term foster children to have been removed from the family. This did not happen. It should have happened and the report calls out some poor decision-making in that regard. No abuse was found to have occurred after 2007. However, the reviewers highlighted that the safety plan was not effective and the main weaknesses related to the flaws in the management of the case. The complexity and seriousness of the credible allegation should have generated a high level co-ordinated and persistent response and the report refers to the prevalence of groupthink as a factor. The report is clear that social workers in the area were committed and often went above and beyond their brief to provide support.

The recommendations of the report are being closely examined and a number are already being implemented.

Changes have been made since 2007. Indeed, these events happened seven years before Tusla was established. I outlined in my previous reply what has happened since then.

It is important to be mindful, and I ask the House to pay attention to this, that a number of the young people involved in this case may still be extremely vulnerable. The past hurt and current well-being of all young women are a real concern. While one of the young people in this case has chosen to waive her anonymity, the others have not. There is legal protection of witnesses in such cases and it is understood that this remains in place as regards the other women involved. The summary report is understood not to compromise this legally protected anonymity. We need to ensure that none of us does that.

See this speech in context