Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

345. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps a person should take and who does not want to go to the police, who wants to divulge a historic child abuse case, that took place in a Dublin boys home in the 1970s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5284/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The statutory bodies with primary responsibility for child welfare and protection are Tusla and An Garda Síochána. Both have distinct functions, powers and methods of working. Tusla has a statutory duty under the Child Care Act 1991 to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. In doing so, it relies heavily on individuals reporting concerns about children, in accordance with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 and the Children First Act 2015.

The Children First Act 2015, which was fully commenced in December 2017, provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for mandated reporting of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children.

Historic or retrospective abuse refers to abuse that an adult experienced which took place during their childhood. Information about abuse that happened in the past must also be sent to Tusla because the person against whom there is an allegation may pose a current risk to children.

Tusla has a specific ‘Retrospective Abuse Report Form’ for reporting in these cases, available on their website. This form is for use by adults wishing to disclose childhood abuse as well as by mandated persons under the Children First Act.

Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it, including historic allegations of abuse. If there are ongoing child protection concerns, Tusla will take necessary actions to ensure that any child who may be at risk of harm is protected, including making a report to An Garda Síochána where Tusla believe an offence may have been committed against a child.

Apart from the Children First Act, a number of other policy and legislative improvements have been made to child protection standards in recent years. These include the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 and the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, both of which fall under the remit of the Minister for Justice. This latter Act requires that any person who has information about a serious offence against a child, which may result in charges or prosecution, must report this to An Garda Síochána. 

Much of the Department of Justice’s work to extend supports for adult victims of sexual offences is being done through the implementation of Supporting a Victim's Journey, the plan to implement the recommendations of the O'Malley Review. Supporting a Victim's Journey is a detailed roadmap, which when implemented, will ensure we have a more victim-centred system that supports and empowers victims and gives them the confidence to engage with all services knowing they will be supported, informed and treated with respect and dignity at every point and by every person they come into contact with.

While noting that the person may not wish to go An Garda Síochána, it is important to note that Divisional Protective Service Units have also been rolled out across the country and are now available in every Garda division. This means that specially trained officers are available nationwide who will be responsible for engagement with, and interviewing of, vulnerable victims.  This ensures that when vulnerable victims of crimes such as domestic abuse and sexual violence present to Gardaí, they are met with specialist professional and expert assistance.  

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

346. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he will publish a report into child sexual abuse (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5307/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that I wrote to St John Ambulance to seek information about the publication of the report on 12th December 2022. St John Ambulance replied on 23rd December and confirmed that they had received a completed report from Dr Shannon. The Commissioner of St John Ambulance stated that the organisation was committed to publishing the full report immediately after the relevant legal review had taken place. The Commissioner further informed me that the legal review of the report was underway and that St John Ambulance was committed to completing this process in a timely manner.

The Commissioner stated that he would write again to me in the New Year with a publication date for the report. The Department has also informed Tusla of the expected publication of the report. Tusla officials have liaised with St John Ambulance regarding safeguarding measures now in place in this organisation.

I wrote again to St John Ambulance on 26th January 2023 seeking an update regarding the expected publication date of the report.

St John Ambulance is not a body under the aegis of my Department however in my capacity as Minister with responsibility for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, I have encouraged St John Ambulance to engage with Tusla and with the independent review process. 

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

347. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps a person should take who wants to divulge a historic child abuse case, that took place in a Dublin boys home in the 1970s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5283/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Any person who has been impacted by child abuse, whether neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, including retrospective cases of abuse should contact their local Tusla social work office. Child abuse is a crime, and should also be reported to An Garda Síochána. Contact details for all Tusla social work offices are listed on Tusla's website, tusla.ie. 

Statutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

I wish to advise that the Children First Act 2015 provides for a number of key child protection measures, including raising awareness of child abuse and neglect, providing for mandated reporting of child protection concerns and improving child protection arrangements in organisations providing services to children.