Written answers

Thursday, 28 March 2019

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Departmental Communications

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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30. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which and when she received correspondence that Tusla sent to an organisation (details supplied) on 18 February 2019 in respect of ongoing safeguarding concerns. [14492/19]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In the afternoon of Monday 25th February, during a telephone call on another matter, Mr Ian Elliott advised an official of my Department of the existence of the letter from Tusla (dated 18th February) and of his discussion about this earlier that day (25th February) with two officials of Tusla and with senior Gardaí. He was later asked by the same official to set out the details in an email. He sent an email on the morning of Tuesday 26th February to the official as requested.

Later that day another senior official of the Department responded to his email and asked that he furnish the Department with a copy of the letter from Tusla, Mr Elliott refused to do so. Another senior official of the Department was, in the meantime, in contact with Tusla and got a copy of the letter by email at 10.17a.m on 27th February 2019. This was forwarded to me and I received a copy by email at 10.27a.m. on 27th February 2019.

Photo of Denise MitchellDenise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the communication she had with an organisation (details supplied) following the issuance of correspondence by Tusla on 18 February 2019 raising concerns regarding child protection procedures within the organisation; her plans to publish a redacted version of the report by the barrister into the handling of a sexual assault allegation by the organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14339/19]

Photo of Katherine ZapponeKatherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In the afternoon of Monday 25th February, during a telephone call on another matter, Mr Ian Elliott advised an official of my Department of the existence of the letter from Tusla (dated 18th February). He also informed the official of his discussion about this which took place earlier that day (25th February) with two officials of Tusla and with senior Gardaí. Mr Elliot was later asked by the same official to set out the details in an email. He sent an email on the morning of Tuesday 26th February to the official as requested.

Later that day another senior official of the Department responded to his email and asked that he furnish the Department with a copy of the letter from Tusla. Mr Elliott refused to do so. Another senior official of the Department was, in the meantime, in contact with Tusla and got a copy of the letter through that route.

An internal process review is being conducted by Scouting Ireland on foot of the report by the Barrister. The Minister has no plans to publish a redacted version of the report until such time as the review has concluded.

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