Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

I thank the Tánaiste for his response. I join with him in his comments on the gardaí and front-line workers and the excellent work they have been doing.

The Irish Association of Social Workers has called for a full statutory review. The Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon has expressed extreme concern over the State's response. Dr. Muldoon asked: "How could a child have been born, dealt with all the relevant agencies and services, and then apparently, just disappear?" He went on to say: "The National Review Panel was never established on a statutory basis and this fundamental flaw has greatly impacted its ability to undertake its work effectively." He is not the only one to criticise the national review panel. Since 2018, both Tusla and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality have said that it is not fit for purpose. The national review panel has no statutory power, no powers to access information and no independent authority to publish reports so it has long gone past needing to have reviews on a statutory basis with proper powers when a child goes missing. We have known this since 2018. The Ombudsman for Children has said it, the Department has said it and Tusla has said it so will the Tánaiste commit to what we have all known since 2018 which is there needs to be statutory reviews when this happens and children known to Tusla go missing?

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