The chief executive of Tusla has apologised for the wording of a statement issued after the alleged sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.
Kate Duggan said she understands the concerns of the wider public after “significant” incidents involving young people who had received State care, but emphasised that most children in care are “thriving”.
She said that several children in care go missing a day, either from school or while on a trip.
Criticisms have been made of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, after recent incidents involving children.
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A young boy, Daniel Aruebose, was reported missing from Dublin after authorities discovered in August he had not been seen for several years.
The agency had previously engaged with the family of the boy, who would be aged seven this year.
His case prompted a series of “wellbeing checks” carried out on thousands of Tusla cases that were closed during the pandemic, from March 1st, 2020, and February 28th, 2022, and a rapid review of the boy’s case.
It came a year after Kyran Durnin, who would be nine years old this year if still alive, was reported missing from Co Louth.
In October, Ukrainian teenager Vadym Davydenko died and two others were taken to hospital following an incident at Tusla emergency accommodation in Dublin.
Further questions were raised of Tusla last month after a 10-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in west Dublin after being in State care earlier that day.
A statement issued by Tusla following the incident in west Dublin, which said the girl had “absconded” while on a recreational trip with staff in the city centre, “verged on victim blaming”, the Dáil heard at the time.
Ms Duggan apologised for the statement issued while appearing before a committee on Thursday.
“We’ve certainly taken that on board and I know people have contacted about that,” she said in response to questions from Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane.
“So thank you for that, and we do apologise for that statement and the way it was released, and the impact of it, and the wording around it.”
She said she understands “the concerns of the wider public” following “the recent tragic and significant incidents” involving young people Tusla had been engaging with.
“While I cannot comment on the specifics of these cases, as there are ongoing investigations by An Garda Síochána, I can assure you that we are working with An Garda Síochána in relation to these investigations, and all of these cases are being reviewed by the National Review Panel.”
Minister for Children Norma Foley has said she is working with Tusla to provide a “clearer” definition of children in care who go missing.
She was responding after Ms Duggan said several children went missing from the agency’s care every day.
Ms Foley said she had discussed the issue of how many children went missing from State care, and how they were reported, with Ms Duggan and Tusla’s board of management.
“Any child that is absent for 15 minutes is regarded as a child that has gone missing,” she said at Government Buildings in Dublin.
“So they are reported as gone missing if they don’t return to a point that they’re meant to be at within 15 minutes.
“Many of those children return. Obviously, if it’s for a longer period, An Garda Siochana are consulted.”
She said: “There’s two cohorts of children [who go missing], there are children and young people – because they’re generally young people, 16-17 years of age – who present seeking international protection.
“Many of them indicate at the outset that it is not their intention to remain here, it is their intention to move on, but they are still listed as missing.
“And then there are children and young people in mainstream. So I can say that the children in mainstream, all of those children were returned to 2024, for example.”
Ms Foley also said she would bring forward legislation to put the National Review Panel, which reviews child deaths and serious incidents, on a statutory footing. She said this would be done before the Dáil concluded for the Christmas break. – PA
