Government must address “scandalous” shortage of special care places, says Ennis

Social Democrats TD Daniel Ennis has accused the government of putting some of Ireland’s most vulnerable children at risk of harm due to the lack of special care places.

Ennis was commenting after the High Court was told yesterday that there was no special care place available for a 14-year-old girl who has been subjected to sexual exploitation by multiple men.

The Dublin Central TD said, “this horrific case shows that our special care system is not fit for purpose and is putting children at extreme risk.”

Tusla told the court it was currently unable to provide the girl with accommodation in any of its three special care units, with just 15 out of 26 beds available due to staff shortages.

“This is a scandalous situation that needs a multi-departmental response from the government,” Ennis said.

“To illustrate the consequences of the state’s ongoing failure to open all special care beds, the judge directed that details of this shocking case, along with a second one involving extreme sexual exploitation of a teenager, be sent to three government ministers – Justice, Children and Public Expenditure.

The judge said it was “important” that the ministers be aware of the ‘appalling predicament’ of this child and the urgent need to open up all three special care units.

Ennis commented, “the judge’s words sum up the severity of the situation and must be a wake-up call for the government, which is failing in its duty of care to some of our most vulnerable children in need of urgent help and protection.”

“It is unforgivable that 11 special care beds are lying empty at a time when a young girl is deemed to be at extreme risk of sexual exploitation and harm from several men,” the Soc Dems children’s spokesperson said.

“The relevant ministers now have these cases on their desks, so there can be no further excuses for such glaring gaps in the State’s broken special care system. The government must set out a clear timeline for opening all 26 beds across the three special care units and fund the staffing plan needed to do it,” Ennis said.