Out-of-hours care - System fails vulnerable children

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) complains that the country out-of-hours emergency services for vulnerable children is “shambolic”.

State agencies are engaging in a game of pass-the-parcel, except in this instance the parcel for whom nobody seems ready to accept responsibility is vulnerable children in need of help.

In June the Health Service Executive (HSE) established an out-of-hours placement service. The contract was awarded to Five Rivers Ireland (FRI). In the first six weeks of the placement service, the gardaí referred to it on 36 occasions in relation to 45 children.