Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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371. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of Tusla’s draft policy concerning adult disclosures of abuse (details supplied) in view of the fact that the Ombudsman called upon Tusla to publish the policy by October 2017. [44823/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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372. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department and Tusla plan to use the publication of Tusla's policy concerning adult disclosures of abuse as an opportunity to proactively integrate the EU victims' directive in order to have a policy that is victim centred and to promote the support of victims through the process of disclosure, assessment and beyond. [44824/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 372 together.

Tusla has informed me that the revised policy is being prepared and is expected to be finalised in November. The Ombudsman has been informed of this time line for completion.

This is a complex policy area and the policy must be subjected to detailed legal review, in order to ensure its compliance with safeguarding children and protecting the constitutional rights of persons against whom allegations are made. If there is any delay to this time frame, Tusla will advise the Ombudsman accordingly.

Tusla's primary focus is always on risk to children that may be identified when a disclosure of abuse is made. Tusla is sensitive to the difficulty a person making such an allegation may experience, and provides information and supports where possible. Tusla must also, under the principles laid out in the Barr Judgement, ensure that a person against whom an allegation of abuse has been made is dealt with fairly and with due process.