Tusla 'not permitted' to pay sufficient salaries to attract special care unit staff

Impossible for child and family agency to comply with orders to detain teenagers in special care, Supreme Court told

Three units have capacity for 25 children but just 15 spaces are operational due to lack of staff.

Tusla is not permitted to pay amounts that may be needed to attract qualified staff to the State's three special care units, where highly-vulnerable children are detained on foot of court orders, the Supreme Court has been told.

The child and family agency’s counsel, Mark Harty, said a staff shortage is preventing his client from providing special care to all of the children who require it.