Department of Children defends Tusla oversight as Kyran Durnin report nears publication

Eight-year-old Kyran Durnin. Picture: Garda Press Office

The Department of Children has said the report on the Kyran Durnin case is currently being finalised and will be published soon, as the department rejected criticism by the Ombudsman for Children.

On Thursday night, the Ombudsman, Niall Muldoon, criticised the government and Tusla for referring the case of the boy missing, presumed dead, in Dublin to the National Review Panel. 

He said a similar referral a year ago in the case of Louth boy Kyran Durnin has not yet resulted in a report, leaving “no answers or insights into the role of services with Kyran and what, if anything, could have been done to have prevented his disappearance.” 

On Friday afternoon, the Department of Children defended its handling of both cases, stating: “The National Review Panel is currently finalising its report on the Kyran Durnin case, and it is expected that the Minister will publish this report, in so far as it does not compromise the ongoing Garda investigation.” 

It also said the panel is independent of Tusla: “The NRP provides a valuable service to the State. Its purpose is to conduct reviews of child deaths and serious incidents culminating in reports that are factually accurate and identifies learnings to improve quality of services provided to children. It is commissioned by, but independent of, Tusla.” 

The statement said the referral of the Dublin case to the National Review Panel “is of critical importance, as it provides for a review of the case independent of Tusla”.

On Thursday night, the Children’s Ombudsman also criticised the government for not appointing a department to lead on the establishment of a statutory Child Death Review Mechanism, despite its inclusion in the Programme for Government.

The department’s statement added on Friday: “Only a small number of deaths relate to children in care, the majority are for health reasons. The Department is also undertaking a review of the current National Review Panel guidance, which will seek to further support the work of the National Review Panel.”