A protest has been held outside Tusla’s headquarters in Dublin objecting to the State agency’s failure to protect children in State care.
The Child and Family Agency faced particular scrutiny over a high profile case last week over a 10-year-old girl who “absconded” from the organisation’s care, whereupon she was allegedly sexually assaulted at the State-run Citywest Hotel IPAS centre.
Investigations into that case remain ongoing.
Garda officers and barricades were present, and about 30 people were in attendance.
The demonstration was attended by Independent Councillor Gavin Pepper and National Party Councillor Patrick Quinlan.
Councillor Pepper, who did not organise the protest but attended it, slammed the agency’s failure to protect “vulnerable children.”
He told Gript that individuals like Tusla chairman Pat Rabbitte and chief executive Kate Duggan had escaped scrutiny for these failings and should face “accountability”.
“Nobody seems to face that big word – “accountability”. It’s about time people start facing accountability. And the failures of Tusla have to be called out. And a proper investigation has to be carried out.”
Pepper added that children in State care were particularly vulnerable.
“Never forget, children in State care are the most vulnerable children in this country,” he said.
“Vulnerable children in State care are supposed to be safe. With all the problems we had with the Catholic Church years ago, now the media and government are staying silent on these issues.
“It’s not acceptable. Children should be safe. We’re paying taxes so children in care can get the best of care – not put into vulnerable situations.”
He also questioned Tusla’s claim that the 10-year-old “absconded” from their care.
“How can a 10-year-old abscond?” Pepper asked.
“You abscond from prison – how can you abscond from State care?
“It’s always excuses. And I know there’s an investigation into it and that has to take its course…but there’s no excuse.”
However, he said the issue was much bigger than any one case.
“This is in relation to Tusla’s failings overall,” he said.
“They’ve failed as a State body. We pay taxes to look after this State. We pay all the wages of these people. But yet they hire different subcontractors to carry out the work.
“You shouldn’t be putting vulnerable children into housing estates, into apartments, without having proper staff to look after them, or enough staff. Years ago you used to have 3 staff members for one child. Them days are gone.
“This is all about money, and the government don’t want to spend the money. The working man who gets up and pays his tax – what did he get in the budget? Nothing. But yet over €3 billion was put aside to look after asylum seekers.”
Councillor Pepper also commented on Tánaiste Simon Harris’ remarks this week that the number of asylum claims in Ireland were too high, and that too many people were not leaving after receiving deportation orders.
Asked if he welcomed these remarks by Harris, Pepper replied: “This country is run by a bunch of chancers, and now they’re coming out because they’re on the back foot. You ask do I welcome Simon Harris’ statement – I welcome Simon Harris’ apology. And Mary Lou’s – all of them.
“People were called names in this country – including myself – like ‘far-right’, ‘racist’, and so on. Simon Harris came out yesterday and said there’s too many illegal immigrants in the country. Is it OK for Simon to say it, but not for the working class?
“It’s about time he said it. He’s only saying it because of the spoiled votes – because people are speaking out and they’re not happy with how the country is run. His party and all the other parties in power called protectors names, which was wrong.”
Pepper said he felt there was a real class divide when it came to the immigration discussion.
“Now there’s a lot of people from upper class areas coming out saying these things,” he said.
“Let me tell you something: we don’t need upper class people to represent working class people. We need working class people to run for election and get elected to represent the working class areas they stand for.
“For too long we’ve had upper class people that look down and punch down on working class areas, and the working class areas are the ones that suffer the most, whether it be with doctor’s appointments, school places – everything. It’s always our deprived areas that face the problems. And then it’s people from upper class areas that come out to protest against us, and then the media comes out to say we’re so bad. How are we bad? We’re just speaking up about our communities.
“We’ve a right to have a safe community. I’ve children – I’ve 3 daughters. They should be able to go out and wear whatever they want, go to school, feel safe, go out with their friends, and I shouldn’t have to worry about anything happening to them. And that’s for every community. So why is it that when we speak out, we’re called names?”