Garda probe into claims Tusla put vulnerable children in unregulated accommodation

Further and Higher Education minister Simon Harris told the Dáil a Garda investigation was now under way and Children's Minister Roderic O’Gorman has spoken with the chief executive of Tusla.

A Garda investigation is under way into allegations Tusla placed vulnerable children into unregulated emergency accommodation.

It comes following reports a company which provided emergency accommodation for vulnerable children “fabricated” pre-employment screenings of staff.

Further and Higher Education minister Simon Harris told the Dáil a Garda investigation was now under way and Children's Minister Roderic O’Gorman has spoken with the chief executive of Tusla.

An internal Tusla report has found a company called Ideal Care Services had “fabricated” pre-employment checks of staff which posed a risk to young people in its care.

The Irish Times reported the internal report, which was completed last July, said the standard of checks carried out on prospective care staff were found to be “grossly inadequate to safeguard vulnerable young people”.

Ideal Care Services has been a major provider of emergency accommodation for children who had been taken into State care.

The report said individuals involved in checking employee references had “fabricated” these checks, with personnel files containing “fictitious accounts of conversations with fictitious persons who were presented as referees” for staff. 

It has also been reported Tusla inspectors said there was “clear evidence” Garda vetting declarations “had been altered post-issue”.

In the Dáil, Mr Harris said it was a “very serious matter” and Tusla had put in place an internal compliance unit.

“The purpose of this unit is to enable it to examine evidence from providers of special emergency accommodation that their staff have Garda vetting and adequate qualifications," he said. 

“It’s so important that we have that compliance structure within Tusla and that they are very much on top of this matter.

“It was that compliance unit itself that detected an issue with a named company. Tusla immediately ceased using the named company. Tusla also notified other State bodies who may have been aware or using the company’s services.

“My understanding is that the matter has been referred to An Garda Síochána, that there is now a Garda investigation under way, and therefore I’m limited in terms of commenting further on the matter.”

Mr Harris was responding to Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, who raised the matter in the Dáil. Mr Doherty described the internal report as “shocking stuff” and said it was “absolutely scandalous what’s happening”.

He said: “These are vulnerable children that are placed in the care of the State. They’re put into private, unregulated [care] because the State hasn’t got enough accommodation themselves."

Tusla confirmed it paid Ideal Care €4.5m in 2022 and €4.4m last year for its services.

It is understood no new special emergency arrangements have been made with the provider since the end of April 2023.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has called for an urgent review of special emergency arrangements used by Tusla on foot of the revelations.