Tusla urgently needs an independent capacity review and a full workforce planning assessment, according to Social Democrats’ children and equality spokesperson Aidan Farrelly.
In response to a Freedom of Information release of an internal Tusla report – indicating that thousands of days have been missed by care staff due to violent incidents and illness – Deputy Farrelly said:
“Tusla has lost its way and quickly needs to re-establish its core mission, which is to uphold the rights of young people, meet their needs and deliver on protection and safeguarding.
“The agency must put children’s rights at the core of any workforce planning.
“Yesterday’s report, which was not released voluntarily, paints a stark and troubling picture of Tusla.
“While vulnerable children in special care can sometimes be prone to violent outbursts, Tusla must get to the root of the reasons behind such challenging behaviour and make every effort to deal with it in a non-adversarial way.
“When Tusla attended the Oireachtas Children’s Committee earlier this month, I outlined my concerns about poor staffing structures and the fact that the agency seems to be constantly firefighting.
“It’s time for Tusla and the government to act. We must see the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, which will mandate every organisation and all 18 government departments to listen to children and find solutions specific to their needs.”
July 29, 2025