James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)

Officials from Tusla and the Department of justice were before the public accounts committee in recent weeks. Tusla alerted us to concerns it has in respect of its capacity to carry out age verifications for unaccompanied minors in the international protection application system. It seems, at a policy level, that it is being left to Tusla to carry out these age verifications, whereas as a matter of law, there is at least some doubt as to what body is actually legally responsible for doing so. None of the officials from the Department of Justice, when they were before us, was able to tell us who was legally responsible, and although they indicated they would come back to us immediately, that has not happened.

There is to be change under new laws but there is an ongoing concern that adults may be mingling with children in an unaccompanied-minor setting. I say this without prejudice to live issues before the courts. There is an issue that needs to be clarified and dealt with swiftly.

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