Grace files: HSE and Tusla staff face sack for scandal

Five senior HSE officials and six more Tusla employees directly involved in the Grace foster abuse scandal are set to be the subject of disciplinary investigations which could potentially result in their sackings.

However, the HSE has admitted it may be powerless to take any action against up to 40 people who have already retired or left the system while it has been heavily criticised for only starting disciplinary action now and for allowing individuals to remain in their positions while inquiries take place.

Speaking at the launch of the 2012 Devine and 2015 Resilience Ireland reports into severe abuse at a foster home in the South-East between 1983 and 2013, HSE head of operations for disability services Dr Cathal Morgan and assistant national HR director Tess O’Donovan said action can now be taken against those involved.

The officials said that now the reports — delayed for five and two years respectively at the request of a local garda superintendent — have been released, the HSE can begin examining if those responsible should face disciplinary action.

Ms O’Donovan said she will begin the HR disciplinary reviews “immediately”, while Dr Morgan issued a “heartfelt apology” for the repeated “failures” in Grace and other individuals care.

“I will now be in a position to move forward in our HR processes. I’m limited in what I can say, but I want to ensure everybody we will utilise HR policies to the full extent,” said Ms O’Donovan.

She said she could not provide a timeline for how long the disciplinary action may take and admitted there may be difficulties in disciplining people who have left the system other than by contacting their licencing bodies.

However, asked if the disciplinary measures could include sackings and how many people are involved, she said the “processes” available include those up to seeking someone to be “summarily dismissed” and that five people affected remain in the HSE.

Dr Morgan — who in November told RTÉ Radio’s News at One programme said no disciplinary action could be taken until the reports proved wrongdoing — said it was now “patently obvious intervention could have been taken” to protect Grace and others on at least three occasions in 1996, 2004 and 2009.

However, despite the remark, he repeated Ms O Donovan’s position and controversially said “I haven’t seen evidence” of a cover-up of the case by senior officials.

A separate Tusla statement said six individuals now working for it in senior positions were “identified to us by the HSE in the last two weeks” and that an “initial HR review” has taken place, with a further review due in response to the Devine and Resilience Ireland reports.

Meanwhile, the HSE has called for guidelines on foster care and disability care standards to be put on a statutory footing in a bid to prevent a repeat of the Grace abuse scandal.

The call was made as a senior HSE spokesperson insisted there is nothing untoward about the national director for social care, Pat Healy, not attending yesterday’s press conference, as four other individuals were to address the meeting because they were best placed to answer questions.