Tusla failed three children so badly a judge found it in contempt of court, says Breda O'Brien

A judge has found the child and family agency Tusla in contempt of court, ruling that it severely failed three children. The ruling highlights systemic issues within the agency, which the article attributes to successive governments.

According to the Irish Times, the judge's decision found Tusla's actions and inactions to be so inadequate that it amounted to a contempt of court. This legal finding underscores the gravity of the agency's failures in protecting vulnerable children.

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If Tusla were a parent in the community, it would be prosecuted by gardaí and pursued by social workers.

The article argues that if Tusla were a private entity or a parent in the community, it would face severe consequences, including prosecution by the Gardaí and intervention from social workers. However, it points out that the agency operates with a different level of accountability, shielded by governmental oversight.

The piece places ultimate responsibility on the governments that have overseen Tusla, suggesting a pattern of neglect and failure to adequately resource or reform the child welfare system. This governmental responsibility, the article implies, is the root cause of the repeated failures experienced by children under Tusla's care.

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The real responsibility lies with successive governments.