Call for review of Tusla’s Child Protection System

Cavan County Council has called on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Norma Foley, to commission a full and independent review of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, with a focus on its operations, governance, and accountability.

The request, highlighting concerns not only in Cavan but also across neighbouring counties and the wider national system, was demanded as part of a motion tabled by Independent Brendan Fay.

While acknowledging that Tusla’s frontline staff are “often doing their best”, he stressed that the system itself is under severe strain.

“The system itself is breaking under pressure: It is under-resourced, under-staffed, and over-stretched,” stated Cllr Fay.

“The current structure is failing to protect the vulnerable children and families effectively.”

He told the meeting that, in 2024, Tusla handled a record 96,660 referrals to its Child Protection and Welfare services, reflecting a dramatic increase in demand.

Reports from across the region, meanwhile, have flagged serious issues, including family abuse and neglect - emotional, physical, and sexual.

Concerns have also been raised about children “becoming lost in the system” due to breakdowns in communication between schools and Tusla.

Cllr Fay noted that under current procedures, if a child transfers to a new school without Tusla being notified by the previous institution, there is no mechanism to track the child’s welfare, leaving them unprotected in a “very broken system”.

“GDPR gone wrong,” he exclaimed, adding that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is further compounding family pressures, increasing the “risk of neglect and harm”.

What Cllr Fay wants is a comprehensive national review of Tusla’s leadership, staffing levels, and operational systems; along with immediate increases in funding, staffing, and specialist supports for children and families, particularly in rural areas such as Cavan.

He also wants to see clear reforms to school-agency reporting and information sharing to ensure children do not slip through the system; and full accountability for Tusla’s CEO and Board of Management regarding the agency’s performance and direction.

“The protection and well-being of children and families in Ireland & Cavan must be a top national priority, and that immediate reform and investment are essential to rebuild trust and deliver the effective child protection system our communities deserve,” said Cllr Fay, whose motion received support from Sinn Féin's Stiofán Conaty.

He himself said that people now had “very little confidence” in how Tusla is being run or what it represents and brought up the case of Harvey Morrison Sherratt, from Clondalkin in Dublin, who had spina bifida and scoliosis and was nine years old when he died in July as one example.

Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley accepted that there are “issues” with the current system that exists, but stated that important decisions impacting services locally are made at national level.