Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) continue to take the issue of potential Child Sexual Exploitation very seriously and are committed to promoting safe and high quality practice in all areas of Alternative Care, including working with An Garda Síochána as required. In this regard, my Department and Tusla have undertaken a range of actions in relation to potential child sexual exploitation, including the following:

• I engaged with the authors of the identified report, and my officials have engaged with Tusla, to ensure that any child protection concerns outlined in the report are being followed up, including in respect of any necessary reports to An Garda Síochána. Tusla has confirmed that its National Garda Liaison lead met with An Garda Síochána in relation to the issues raised in the study.
• Tusla has a statutory obligation to notify An Garda Síochana of all incidences of suspected child sexual exploitation, including those relating to children in the care of the State. An Garda Síochána lead the investigation into these notifications.
• In 2021 Tusla implemented its Child Sexual Exploitation Procedure in partnership with An Garda Síochána. The joint working protocol between Tusla and AGS forms a critical part of the response to child abuse, neglect, and child sexual exploitation. A Principal Social Worker from Tusla has been seconded to the Garda National Protective Service Bureau (GNPSB) for a number of years.
• All staff in residential centres for the care of children have undergone Children First training, which provides guidance for the protection and welfare of children.
• Prior to the publication of the report, my Department and Tusla established a Working Group looking at institutional and organisational abuse. My Department has requested that the Group consider the report and make recommendations as required, after which I will consider any further steps as may be necessary.
• The Group is in the process of commissioning independent research, jointly funded by my Department and Tusla, into the area of organisational and institutional abuse of children, including children placed in residential care settings. This research will review international literature and best international social work practice and child safeguarding responses in this area. It is intended that the commissioned research will also look at the findings, learnings and recommendations of seminal reports on abuse of children in residential care settings, such as the Rotherham report, and the Rochdale enquiry.
• The procurement process for this research was completed in January 2024 and, following a number of applications, an identified external researcher was appointed to commence the research in early February 2024.

I am not aware of HIQA undertaking any specific investigation on foot of this report. However, HIQA has a broad inspection function of Tusla services against the Child Protection and Welfare Standards (2012), which specifically reference actions to be taken on foot of suspected child sexual abuse.

Children in the care of the State are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. My Department continues to work closely with Tusla's senior management team on the safeguarding framework for all children in care, to ensure that it continues to be sufficiently robust to protect children from evolving risks.