Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned against jumping to conclusions as an investigation continues into the case of a missing boy who is presumed dead in north Dublin.
Gardaí have been searching an area of wasteland in Donabate as part of the investigation into the disappearance of the boy who would be seven years old if still alive.
Yesterday, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said the search for the boy has so far been unsuccessful.
Concerns for the boy were raised by the Child and Family Agency and reported to gardaí on Friday.
The Taoiseach said it is a complex situation and that there sometimes tends to be a premature reaction to “blame Tusla for everything”.
Mr Martin added that he is “not sure this is the correct pathway initially” until the full facts surrounding the case are known.
“Cases do get closed and for good reason. There are broader societal issues at stake, let’s be clear about that.
“But we will examine this case without jumping to conclusions in terms of what has transpired and examine it and apply any issues that arise from that to future protection frameworks while also respecting family situations as well.”
Speaking on his way into Cabinet he said Ireland has a strong and robust child protection system with changes made over the last decade.
When asked if an independent body should carry out a review into this case, he said it would be important first to await the outcome of the garda investigation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was speaking on his way into Cabinet
Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane has said Tusla has questions to answer regarding its dealings with the child in Donabate, north Co Dublin, who is missing and presumed dead, and his family.
Ms Kerrane, who is a member of the Committee on Children and Equality, said she would like to know how many visits Tusla had with the child and his family after he was returned to their care.
“I would like to know, in relation to this case, specifically, how many visits were had with this child.
“What were their concerns? They intervened when the child was very young.
“Obviously, there was a foster family involved, I presume at some point. The child was given up for adoption.
“The child was returned to the family… so I’d like to know why the case was closed. I’d like to know what engagement they had with the family.”
The Child and Family Agency said in a statement yesterday that their engagement with the family and the child ceased in 2020.
Tusla said the family had requested their services.
They did not say why these services ceased, or why no further checks or contacts appear to have been made after the child was two years old.
Tusla also said that since 2020 no new referral or information of concern was received about this child until last Friday, when they referred the matter to gardaí following a report from the Department of Social Protection.
Since Tusla ceased its engagement, the child disappeared, and gardaí believe he is dead.
Ms Kerrane called for all of Tusla’s closed cases to be investigated and ensure “the child associated with each case can be accounted for, literally that they are alive”.
Referring to the case of Kyran Durnin, she pointed out that there are now two garda investigations ongoing into missing children, presumed dead, in Ireland.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, she said she would like the investigation to examine cases from the Covid period onwards.
She added that there is a gap in the system for oversight of children under the age of five.
Gardaí took control of an area of open ground in Donabate as part of the search
Meanwhile, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has said funding and staffing Tusla adequately represents a real challenge.
He said the Child and Family Agency is inundated with referrals, receiving 40,000 more referrals last year compared to five years ago.
Mr Tóibín called for the Minister for Children to take a more “hands on” approach to the problem of children in State care.
He described as “heartbreaking” the fact that two investigations are taking place for two boys who are missing and presumed dead.
He said that Tusla has questions to answer, adding that he thinks that the agency and the Minister for Children need to come before the committee for children.
Search to continue for number of days
As part of the search for the boy in Donabate, gardaí sealed off a scene on the Portrane Road on Sunday and have asked for time and space to enable them to conduct the search operation sensitively.
The perimeter of the site, which is largely overgrown, has been fenced in and areas covered with black fabric.
Gardaí have brought in excavation equipment, lighting and generators and forensic specialists from the Garda Technical Bureau are at the scene.
Three entrances to the site have also been sealed off.
The search in the area of open ground is expected to continue for a number of days.
The location was identified from information received in the investigation into the disappearance of the child.
Gardaí have already carried out searches and a technical examination at an apartment in the Gallery Apartments in Donabate, the place where the boy is last known to have lived.
Detectives have so far been unable to either locate the child, identify any information on his current whereabouts or find any evidence that he is currently alive.
They suspect he may have come to some harm but do not know if that was accidental, intentional, violent or criminal.
They say they are keeping an open mind, including to the possibility that the child died of natural causes, and say they are handling this case sensitively.