Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue and outlining in detail the implications for this family of the incorrect and wrong allegations that were made against them. I also thank him for recognising that Tusla has made an apology and that staff in Tusla - which is a big organisation with a lot of very good people and we all recognise that - has done its best to make reparations here in this particular situation. The details of this individual were brought to my Department's attention yesterday so I am not in a position to give the Deputy a very detailed response right now. I am very happy to continue to liaise with him and I can do it on paper or we can have another Topical Issue Debate on this on another basis. I hope he does not mind but he has outlined a lot more very important detail here this morning and I would like to read into it a bit more so I can give a more considered response to the issue. I am absolutely happy to give that more considered response.

Since this Topical Issue matter was raised yesterday, we have been in touch with Tusla. My Department raised it with Tusla's chief operations officer. We requested an urgent report and urgent details on this matter. We are very happy to engage with the Deputy further on this particular point.

I will just step back from this case in terms of where an issue is raised regarding Tusla more broadly. There are routes for people who have similar concerns. They can make a complaint through the Office of the Ombudsman, which investigates complaints made about public services. If an individual has a concern about a social worker's practice, he or she can contact CORU, which is the regulator for many of the health and social care professions. Within Tusla, there is the child abuse substantiation procedure, and that is a revision of the policy originally brought in in 2014. It is based on learning that indicated the need to further enhance consistency of practice across Tusla. In addition, changes were also required to incorporate new legal judgments into this complex area of law and practice.

The current child abuse substantiation procedure operated by Tusla has been in place since June 2022. The procedure assists social workers in achieving an optimum standard of child protection practice when they are carrying out those substantiation assessments. This procedure allows Tusla to function within the correct parameters of legal obligations, fair procedures and information management. We all know how important it is that complaints or allegations of child abuse are investigated properly and thoroughly. However, the Deputy has also illustrated what happens when an incorrect, inaccurate and wrong allegation is made and the absolute damage that can do. Over the years, Tusla has continued to enhance the approach it takes to the investigation of these allegations and the 2022 document is the most recent document. From what the Deputy has told me, I gather these allegations significantly predated that document so work on the development of the process to address these types of allegations has continued. I am happy to continue to engage with him on this particular case.

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