Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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559. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the length of time Tusla has been working on a memorandum of understanding with An Garda Síochána; when it is due to be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39471/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Officials in my Department are currently compiling the information as requested by the Deputy. This information will be supplied to the Deputy in no later than 10 working days. I have asked my officials to follow up on this to ensure delivery as a matter of urgency.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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560. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla has developed an internal risk rating system for use by the early years inspectorate when assessing early years services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39472/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla employs a risk rating system for all early years services which informs inspection scheduling and levels of oversight and scrutiny of a service.  All services are assigned a risk rating according to the criteria set out below.  

Critical: A service categorised as critical has been escalated to the National Registration and Enforcement Panel, either because of concerns about the level of non-compliance with regulations, or because an unregistered service has refused to close and Tusla is advancing to a prosecution of the service. 

High:A service categorised as high is under deliberation and management by the National Registration and Enforcement Panel and has not advanced to a commencement of removal or a prosecution. 

Medium:A service categorised as medium has conditions attached to registration which relate to non-compliance with the regulations. 

Low:A service is categorised as low where no significant concerns exist.

A “critical” status on Tusla’s risk register implies a high and intensive level of scrutiny by Tusla. It does not imply that children attending these services are at risk or should be removed from the services. 

It is essential to note that where there is evidence of a serious risk to children, Tusla bring this to the attention of the Social Work services, in which instance parents are informed. This is a requirement under the Children First Act.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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561. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of instances of unsolicited information having been received by Tusla that were rated as critical or high; the number of these triggered an inspection by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39473/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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All unsolicited information received by Tusla is risk rated as low, medium, high or critical.  The risk rating and other available information will determine the response.  In the case of high and critical ratings an immediate inspection may be triggered or other proportionate regulatory responses may occur.

It is not possible to provide the requested figures as to do so could result in the identification of specific services engaged in ongoing inspection and/or enforcement proceedings with Tusla.

It is important as the Independent statutory regulator for the Early Learning and Care sector that Tusla exercises its regulatory powers to respond to continuous and serious breaches of regulations within its remit while respecting fair procedures and natural justice.