Tusla breached its 'explicit duty' to two acutely vulnerable teenagers, Supreme Court rules

The High Court was correct to make special care orders for the two 16-year-olds, despite Tusla’s protestation that it had no places available due to severe staff shortages, the court held

Tusla had failed to formally declare two acutely vulnerable teenagers needed to be temporarily detained in special care units, the Supreme Court has held. File picture

Tusla breached its “explicit and unambiguous duty” by failing to formally declare two acutely vulnerable teenagers needed to be temporarily detained in special care units, the Supreme Court has held.

In a lead ruling for the court, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said there was “no legal basis” or excuse for the child and family agency to refrain from concluding the specialist detention setting was required for the girl and boy who both abused drugs and regularly went missing from State care.