Budget further delays Tusla and Gardaí electronically sharing child sex abuse disclosures

The establishment of a joint computerised notification system between Tusla and An Garda Síochána (AGS) was a key recommendation of the Garda Inspectorate’s ‘Responding to Child Sexual Abuse’ Review, published in December 2017.

The electronic sharing of child sexual abuse disclosures between social services and gardaí has been delayed again – five years after it was initially recommended by the Garda Inspectorate.

The current system between Tusla and An Garda Síochána is still paper-based with concerns over delays, legibility of forms, lack of detail, communication problems and cases falling through the cracks.

The latest assessment said that it will “take some time and resources” to implement the technical solution because of the limited budget provided to the Gardaí and other technological priorities in the organisation. The continuing delay has sparked the concern of both the Policing Authority and the ISPCC.

The establishment of a joint computerised notification system between Tusla and An Garda Síochána (AGS) was a key recommendation of the Garda Inspectorate’s ‘Responding to Child Sexual Abuse’ Review, published in December 2017.

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The Inspectorate expressed serious concern at the continuing reliance on posted letters, and problems with follow-on phone calls, between social workers and gardaí.

The 2017 review was an update on the Inspectorate’s initial inspection report of 2012. A Government implementation group set up in February 2018 published its first report in January 2019.

But no progress reports have been published since, although draft second and third reports have been discussed with the Authority. The Inspectorate has examined implementation of its 2012 report, but, in 2018, the then justice minister asked the Authority to monitor implementation of the 2017 review.

The 2017 review recommended that gardaí in conjunction with Tusla develop a new “joint approach for assessing and managing child protection/welfare notifications”. To achieve this, it urged the development of a “joint single electronic notification and tracking system”.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the Authority said the matter was discussed at an internal committee meeting: “While a notification system is currently in place, it is manual. The Committee were informed that the necessary IT system that will support electronic notifications between Tusla and the Garda Siochana will take some time and resources to implement, but that at present there was no clear timeline for implementation given the resource constraints and wider project prioritisation in respect of Garda ICT.” 

ISPCC Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager Fiona Jennings said: “This recommended new system was to bring better structure that would ultimately allow for timely and speedy action where joint decisions have to be made for the protection of a child.

“At a time where the use of electronic technology is commonplace in so many facets of life, it is concerning to hear that this recommendation which has been accepted is not as progressed as it could possibly be and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to address it in 2022 either.” 

Ms Jennings said children “need both arms of the state working together effectively and efficiently”. Garda HQ said the objective of the agreed IT system was to have a “robust system which ensured all notifications were immediately visible to both agencies”.

It said the Authority has been informed it “will not be implemented for some time”. One major reason, it said, was Covid-19, with the bulk of the Garda IT system geared towards responding to that. This has meant there was “no capacity” to take on another sizeable IT project.

In addition, there was the impact of the HSE cyberattack on Tusla IT systems. Thirdly, Tusla was now concentrating on rolling out a new IT structure (NCCIS).

A statement from Tusla said it has met the Authority and was happy to contribute “to the overall reform of policing” as it applies to it.

It added: “Tusla and AGS continue to share all notifications in respect of suspected child abuse as per Children First legislation and both agencies continue to work in line with the existing Joint Working Protocol.”