Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told the Dáil that the number of unaccompanied minors in the State is increasing at a “rapid” level, after he was questioned about the alleged sexual assault of a child at Citywest. Mr Martin, during Leaders Questions, said that “concerns of people generally across the country” as well as within Saggart were “genuine” in the wake of the attack.
Mary Lou McDonald said today that there was deep community anger at the news of the alleged sexual assault on the child, saying that serious questions need to be answered.
“How did a ten year old child in the care of the state go missing and end up in Citywest and why was a man with a deportation order issued in March still here?” McDonald asked during Tuesday’s leaders’ questions.
“Taoiseach, there is huge public shock and anger regarding the reported sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl on the grounds of City West IPAS centre here in Dublin.
“A man in his 20s has been charged in connection with the assault, and I think An Garda Siochana are to be commended for their work in making this arrest. Of course, our first concern is for the welfare of this young child. Tusla has confirmed that this child was in their care. This vulnerable 10-year-old girl went missing from Tusla Care while on a supervised trip to Dublin City Centre. She was then reported missing to An Garda Siochana. She remained missing overnight and she was then reportedly sexually assaulted.
“Taoiseach, how could a 10-year-old in the care of Tusla go missing on a supervised trip? There is a disturbing pattern of children in the care of the State and of this agency being failed catastrophically.”
Deputy McDonald referred to other such cases, including that of 3-year-old Daniel Aruebose, whose skeletal remains were found in Donabate in Dublin last month. She also referred to the young Ukrainian man, Vadym Davydenko, who was stabbed to death in north Dublin last week at a Tusla care facility.
Ms McDonald said it begged the question, “What on earth is going on with Tusla?”
“Why is this happening again and again?” she asked, adding: “How is it that in our small country, so many children can go missing?”
“Our thoughts today are with this 10-year-old girl who has been so failed and violated, and with her family. Our thoughts are with all of the children that I have mentioned and with their families. They have experienced unimaginable loss, hurt, and trauma.”
“Taoiseach, it’s also reported that the man now charged with this assault was subject to a deportation order issued in March of this year. Can I ask how it is that a person issued with the deportation order remains in the country six months later? People are now asking how this was allowed to happen, why the order wasn’t enforced, and did the authorities know that he was still in the State?” McDonald continued.
“You see this violent incident deeply unnerves the entire community, in particular the local community in Saggart and the surrounding areas whose pleas for additional resources including Gardai resources have been ignored and they now feel very betrayed and very badly let down,” she said.
“The safety and protection of our children must be the first and highest concern for all of us in this House,” said the Sinn Fein leader. “Children in the care of the State are the most vulnerable of all, and yet they have been failed far too often and nobody is held to account. This demands an immediate and a strong response from the government.”
“Taoiseach, it is important that you provide as much information as you can today, without of course compromising the legal process. Can I ask you what action will be taken to hold Tusla to account for this 10-year-old child going missing from their care? And can you please explain to people how the alleged perpetrator is still here six months after being issued with the deportation order?”
Mr Martin said that the events were “extremely serious and very, very grave.”
“Our thoughts, as the Deputy has quite rightly said, are with the wellbeing and welfare of the child involved and the entire family. Could I say it is the fundamental duty of the State to protect the children of the State and irrespective of the complexity or severity of any particular case, that duty has to be fulfilled. On this occasion that duty was not fulfilled,” he said.
The Taoiseach said that the case will be referred to the National Review Panel,
However, he said that the more “fundamental point” was that a review will take place, and the Minister for Children has asked for an Interim report within six weeks. Adding that he had to be careful in the context of a live criminal case, Mr Martin confired that a person had been arrested in respect of the alleged sexual assault.
“I don’t want to say anything that in any way compromises the conduct or the progress of that case. But the Minister for Justice has asked his Secretary General and has asked the Department of Justice for a full report in respect of the management of the application for asylum since this person arrived into the country.”
Mr Martin added that there remained issues that needed review more generally, saying that he acknowledges the “concern, anger and worry of many people throughout the country at what has transpired here, or alleged to have transpired here.”
‘THE CONCERNS ARE LEGITIMATE’
“The concerns are legitimate, the concerns of the people generally across the country and within the specific location are genuine. I want to acknowledge that. We will put the full rigours of the State behind this case in all facets, in all respects.
“And also, there are issues, and I don’t want to conflate this with other cases, I don’t think that’s fair. The other cases are equally very very difficult and grave,” said Martin, in relation to the case of Vadym Davydenko.
“This has nothing at all to do with the case last evening, but you mentioned North Dublin. The numbers of unaccompanied minors presenting is increasing at a very rapid level, and those young people were not in the care of Tusla; they were actually being provided with housing – essentially, in emergency accommodation, so that’s an important context in that case. We shouldn’t conflate all the cases because there are different backgrounds to each case. But the State has a fundamental right to protect the wellbeing of a 10-year-old child.”
“I would like the review to look at aspects of the care of the child in question, and also to bring forward recommendations because we do need to challenge existing restrictions or potential restraints on care agencies in terms of looking after young children.”
“It’s a particularly complex area,” added Mr Martin.
Mary Lou McDonald said the case represented “a parent’s worst nightmare,” adding that it had caused deep, profound anger and unease.
She said that while she appreciated the Taoiseach’s recognition that there had been “a failure of the system” in the case in question, there is a pattern, “a disturbing patterns that has emerged.”
McDonald said such a pattern required more than referral to a panel, adding: “I think there has to be more action, because the most unnerving thing is that this happens to children in the care of provided accommodation, or who are known to Tusla and the State.
“Yet, again and again, we hear these unimaginable tales,” said McDonald.
“The second thing, Taoiseach, is there has to be confidence in the system of application for asylum, and in our immigration system. Any question mark around a person overstaying in the State when a deportation order has been made, again, is deeply unnerving and deeply, deeply unhelpful, and has to be addressed by the Government.”
Mr Martin said he agreed that there needed to be not only a specific review into the case, adding that the Government was not “ruling out” a wider review “into how we protect children.” The Taoiseach said that legislation may also need to be reviewed as well, saying that agencies and authorities needed maximum flexibility to “do the right thing.”