Dail Éireann · 2022-06-02
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While the statutory bodies with primary responsibility for child welfare and protection are Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and An Garda Síochána, sometimes concerns about a child or a retrospective allegation are reported to my Department. The term "retrospective abuse" refers to abuse that an adult experienced which took place during their childhood.
Tusla has a specific retrospective abuse report form for reporting in these cases, available on its website. Can the Minister confirm to me, if somebody comes forward to report retrospective child abuse pertaining to a period when they were in State care or in foster care, whether all other adults who were previously in foster care in that home where the alleged abuse took place tracked down?
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We are all familiar with the horrific detail that came to light in the Grace case, specifically with regard to the State's response to the allegations and the abuse suffered by the person known as Grace. Are there any other cases that the Minister is aware of which are similar in nature to the Grace case?
I thank the Deputy. While the statutory bodies with primary responsibility for child welfare and protection are Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and An Garda Síochána, sometimes concerns about a child or a retrospective allegation are reported to my Department. My Department is committed to acting promptly when notified of any concerns and follows the principles of Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. A guidance document for staff of the Department details actions which should be taken if a concern or a retrospective allegation is reported to them. While staff are not expected to make an assessment of any allegation, they are required to make a report to Tusla, or to An Garda Síochána in an emergency situation.
The term "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 alleged abuser may have contact with other children, even if he or she no longer poses a threat to the alleged victim. Tusla has a specific retrospective abuse report form for reporting in these cases, available on its website. This form is for use by adults wishing to disclose childhood abuse; mandated persons under the Children First Act, and professionals providing adults with counselling, mental health or other relevant services.
Tusla assesses all child welfare and protection concerns that are reported to it. This includes historic allegations of abuse made by persons who were previously in the care of the State. If there are ongoing child protections concerns, Tusla will take the necessary actions to ensure that a child who may be at risk of harm is protected.
With respect, the Minister has not answered my question at all. Since the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in 2014, some 13 internal case reviews have been carried out by it. My parliamentary assistant has been handed two of these reports by two women who suffered sexual abuse as children. The reports are deeply upsetting to read. In the 1990s, gardaí and social workers did not act on the disclosures when they were made. I stress that these are two separate cases. These two children escaped their abusers when they ran away from home. In all the internal case reviews, everyone mentioned is given a pseudonym, similar to Grace.
Has Tusla furnished the Minister with copies of the 13 internal case reviews that have been conducted? Was the Minister aware of these reviews or the content of these reports prior to my raising them here?
No, I was not. I am not aware of the two cases the Deputy has spoken about. If he wants to provide me with information about them, I will be happy to examine them.
The content of these reports is deeply shocking. I want to know what happens to these reports. Where is the oversight and accountability in respect of them within the Department? Can the Minister confirm to me, if somebody comes forward to report retrospective child abuse pertaining to a period when they were in State care or in foster care, whether all other adults who were previously in foster care in that home where the alleged abuse took place tracked down? Are they interviewed by social workers? Can the Minister confirm that this happens? It is really important. It is especially important that we focus on the person who brings the alleged abuse to light but also that we investigate whether there was other abuse in those families.
Have people ever contacted the Minister's office directly to report retrospective abuse? If so, has his office handled those phone calls or emails? This is not the last the Government will be hearing about this issue. We need an immediate, robust commission to investigate child sexual abuse that happened in the foster care system past and present. A full, unconditional State apology needs to be given to the victims of the State who for decades have said that nobody has believed their stories.
It is my understanding that when an allegation of retrospective child abuse is being investigated, the full processes of Children First are implemented. I will come back to the Deputy in writing on what exactly that means in terms of whether every single adult is contacted. I do not have the absolute detail on that. It is a fair question and I will come back to the Deputy on it in writing.
As I said, in respect of the two cases the Deputy identified, I am happy for him to bring them to my attention and I can look at them in more detail. I cannot speak with any more certainty on next steps until I have actually seen them. Like the Deputy, I treat issues of child sex abuse with the greatest significance and particularly if that has happened in a situation where someone was in the care of the State. That makes the situation in terms of the State's responsibility all the more grave.
It looks as though Deputy Tóibín will be on his feet again because no other Deputy is present.