Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
852. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on the actions taken by her Department in response to recent failures within Tusla identified through HIQA inspections, internal reviews, and external reports; if she will confirm whether any disciplinary or corrective measures have been implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3894/26]
View answerHIQA monitors services used by some of the most vulnerable children in the State. Monitoring provides assurance to the public that children are receiving a service that meets the national standards. This process also seeks to ensure that the wellbeing, welfare, and safety of children is promoted and protected. Monitoring also has an important role in driving continual improvement so that children have access to better, safer services.
HIQA is authorised by this Department under section 8(1)(c) of the Health Act 2007, to monitor the quality of service provided by the Child and Family Agency to protect children and to promote the welfare of children. The Authority monitors the performance of the Child and Family Agency against the National Standards for the Protection and Welfare of Children and advises the Minister and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.
HIQA submits all its Inspection Reports to the Department and where necessary the Reports are analysed and escalated within the Department to Senior Management and for my attention. The Department engages with Tusla on the implementation of compliance plans when deemed necessary.
The Department is committed to supporting Tusla in improving performance and ensuring Tusla’s structures are robust, responsive and capable of safeguarding every child in need, and that Tusla are supported in recruiting and retaining vital frontline staff such as social workers and foster carers.
Following Budget 2026, Tusla’s overall funding now stands at €1.371bn, an increase of 14% over its budget in 2025. This money will ensure that Tusla can continue to manage over 100,000 referrals annually. This investment supports Tusla’s multi-pronged, sustained strategy to address the recruitment and retention of child protection staff. Some key actions include:
• International Recruitment: The Social Worker grade was added to the Critical Skills Occupation List in 2023.
• Expanding Domestic Supply: University College Cork introduced two new pathways into social work in 2024, expected to increase annual graduate output by 20%.
• Promoting the Profession: A national "Social Work Changes Lives" media campaign was launched in 2025.
• Career Development: A Health & Social Care Career Pathway scheme has been sanctioned in Tusla to support career progression.
• Enhanced Salaries: A new Special Care Worker grade with an enhanced salary has been created to attract and retain Social Care Workers in Tusla’s Special Care services.
• Continued coordination by Tusla occurs with relevant departments and employers through forums like the Social Work All Employers Forum.
• Budget 2026 includes funding for innovative “earn and learn” social work and social care work apprenticeship courses programmes and sponsorship. University College Cork introduced two new pathways into social work in 2024, which is expected to increase annual graduate output by 20%.
• In relating to the difficulties in recruiting additional social workers, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to double the number of college places for social workers. In June, the Government approved an expansion in training places for a range of health and social care professionals. This will provide up to 361 additional student places by 2028, including college places for social workers.
I have recently published a Bill updating and modernising the Child Care Act which provides the foundation for child protection and welfare services in the State. This will strengthen the child protection legal framework and the powers available to Tusla.
In 2026, Tusla is implementing its Integrated Reform Programme with the introduction of revised structures and systems which is going live this month. The aims/benefits of the reform programme are as follows and to promote equity in service availability, promote capacity and promote quality of services and some of the important measures are as follows:
• Tusla is moving from 17 Areas in 6 regions to 30 Areas/Networks in 6 Regions. This will lead to a far more equitable distribution of children across Areas/Networks
• Staff will work as part of multidisciplinary teams to ensure a range of professionals with different skills are available to respond to the needs of children, young people, and families in the right way at the right time.
• Tusla will have “one single front door” in each Area/Network, ensuring all referrals are screened by a multidisciplinary team and offered the right support from the first point of contact.
• Tusla is improving its case management system. Key to this is the creation of a single record for each child and young person which will support integrated working including more streamlined referral and allocation system for residential care, improved communications, accurate data to improve decision making on an individual level and resource allocation.
• Tusla is simplifying its standard business processes to reduce inefficiencies and maximise time with children and families facilitating more focus on direct contact and relationship building.
• Tusla is scaling up its alternative care placement capacity across emergency, mainstream and specialist services across the country to ensure more timely access to residential care for those that need it.
• Tusla is improving its engagement with community and voluntary services to ensure resources are being allocated in the most effective way to respond to the needs of the population in each Area.
As soon as Tusla became aware of the recent tragic cases, the Department was notified immediately through the agreed protocols and procedures in place. There has been ongoing engagement with Tusla relating to Tusla’s own internal reviews of each specific case and on any recommendations that have arisen to date as a result of these internal reviews.
All of these cases have been referred to the National Review Panel who will make findings and recommendations, as deemed appropriate. The National Review Panel is independent and has remit to review serious incidents, in particular where there is suspected or confirmed abuse of a child in care. Forwarding of case files to the National Review Panel is normal practice by Tusla following its own internal reviews following the death or a serious case incident of a child known to Tusla.
The National Review Panel delivered its Report on the review of the Kyran Durnin case to the Department on the 29th October last. The Attorney General has determined that it would not be possible to publish the report at this time, given the potential to prejudice any potential prosecutions. It may be possible to publish the report in the future, depending on the advice of the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions. What has been agreed on foot of the advice of the Attorney General is that the recommendations in the report would be published in full, and they were published on 3rd December, 2025.
The Department is engaging with the relevant Government Departments and Agencies, including Tusla, on the implementation of the recommendations which are relevant to them. Tusla has already commenced the process on the implementation of the recommendations which come under its remit. I am clear that the implementation of the recommendations should be completed as soon as possible.
