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Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Tusla paid €72m to third-party providers of children's emergency accommodation
Tusla paid over €72.5m to third-party companies providing emergency accommodation for children in State care last year. One provider received more than €17.2m in 2024 and has been paid a further €3.4m in the first quarter of this year, according to figures provided by Tusla, the child and family agency. Baig and Mirza Health Service, trading as Kare Plus South, has been the highest-paid provider for the past three years and has received €43.1m over the past four and a half years. Separately, Baig and Mirza Real Estate, which is also part of Baig and Mirza Gulf Holdings, has been paid €1.8m over the same period. Tusla paid €215.5m to 31 firms since 2021 Since 2021, Tusla has paid out €215.5m to a total of 31 companies, including €15.8m of this paid in the first three months of this year. The total spend in 2021 was €8.5m. The companies are paid to provide accommodation through Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs), which are used when residential care, foster care, and regulated emergency placements are not available. These consist of rented accommodation such as houses and hotels. According to documents released to Aontú under Freedom of Information, Tusla accommodated 66 children in hotels over the past six months. 'Tusla's use of unregulated SEAs should end' Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, who obtained the figures, has called for Tusla to end its use of unregulated SEAs. Mr Tóibín said: Instead of pumping millions into the unregulated sector, the Government needs to start supporting and funding the regulated private and voluntary care sectors, and indeed foster families. The Meath TD said concerns have been raised regarding vetting standards among staff in some SEA locations. 'It is clear the system is crumbling. We need an urgent debate on the welfare of children in care,' he said. Tusla has informed Aontú that it has ceased contracts with four companies in the past two years over issues with vetting and recruitment practices. A spokesperson for Tusla said the management of SEAs has 'evolved significantly' since the implementation of the national standard operating procedure by the agency in late 2022. New companies engaging with Tusla for the provision of staffing and premises through SEAs, after 30 days of operation, must apply for registration with the Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service (ACIMS). This application is assessed and, where a centre meets the set regulatory requirements, it is added to the national register. Only centres that have been registered are subject to inspection by ACIMS. 'Currently, aspects of the requirements under this process are being applied in a due-diligence process to all existing Special Emergency Arrangements providers,' the spokesperson said. To date, four services have obtained registration while a further 14 are under assessment. Mr Tóibín said it is 'extremely alarming' that there are 37 children missing from Tusla's care. Of these, 32 are refugees or seeking international protection in Ireland. At present, there are 489 unaccompanied minors in state care, ranging in age from 11 to 17. Almost half were referred within the last six months but the data also shows that one child has been in care for more than seven years.
Irish Times
17-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Tusla copy-and-paste process could lead to false claims on children's files, Aontú claim
A review must be carried out on Tusla files amid concerns that incorrect information has been copied on to children's case notes, according to Aontú . The party's leader, Peadar Tóibín , said he was concerned that false claims on files could lead to children being 'wrongly or unnecessarily taken into care'. Tusla staff handling child welfare concerns have previously used a process called 'cloning' – where information about one child is copied on to the form relating to a sibling. Earlier this year, the Health Information and Quality Authority ( Hiqa ) published a review that it carried out on Tusla services in the midlands. The review, which was sparked by concerns about the inaccuracy of information on child and family agency casework in Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath, found that staff were using 'cloning' on children's files. This is when certain information is included on the files of each child in a family, even when it may not be accurate. READ MORE The Hiqa report said: 'The process of cloning information from one sibling to another meant that some children's files reviewed did not contain accurate information about the child, but was copied information about a sibling, which meant it did not accurately reflect that individual child's circumstances or level of risk.' During the inspection, the midlands service was found to be not compliant with a standard which ensures relevant information is used 'to plan and deliver effective child-protection and welfare services'. [ Tusla's failure to provide secure care beds for children at risk an 'affront to rule of law', judge says Opens in new window ] Mr Tóibín described the process of 'cloning' as effectively 'copying and pasting'. 'This is a very significant problem – Tusla have openly admitted to me that there are 'copying and pasting' errors on files relating to the process of taking children into State care, off their parents.' The Aontú leader has been asking Tulsa about the practice of copying inaccurate information on to files after becoming aware of a case where a file on a woman included a false assertion that she had a problem with alcohol when she does not drink. The case, which was reported on by The Irish Times in 2021 , involved a number of 'clear errors' on the family's file. Tusla has since apologised to the family. 'Tusla refuse to tell me how many others are affected, and say they are training staff in how to copy and paste accurately. This isn't good enough,' Mr Tóibín said. 'Aontú believe there must be a review of all files to determine how many others contain untruths and inaccuracies, and indeed how many other children have been wrongly or unnecessarily taken into care.' Tusla previously said it had taken action and increased staff training in order to avoid mistakes being copied on to files. In response to the Hiqa review, Tusla said 'workers have been advised of the importance of ensuring accuracy of information specific to each child when cloning records. Team meetings and the supervision process will be utilised to continue to reinforce this.'
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Aontú Ireland rejects comparison to Farage's Reform UK
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín focused his keynote speech at the party's ardfheis predominantly on Government waste. He went on the offensive against the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leaders, telling delegates ' Government incompetence is incinerating your money and slowing key projects to a halt'. Listing scandal after spending scandal, including the Leinster House €336,000 'Gucci' bike shelter and the €2.4 billion delayed national children's hospital, he took repeated swipes at the Coalition. On immigration, he said Government policy 'has been chaotic and has damaged the cohesion of this country'. Six years ago 'Aontú was alone is stating that we as a country must have an open, respectful conversation about immigration'. READ MORE 'If you don't allow people to discuss immigration you push the discussion underground where it will be harvested and manipulated by bad actors for their own purposes. This is exactly what happened.' It was music to cheering party delegates' ears. This focus on waste of public funds, 'incompetent political leadership' and immigration has clear echoes of Reform UK , Nigel Farage 's party which campaigns on a platform of 'common sense'. Aontú's stance, like Reform's, is about 'not being afraid to stand against the prevailing winds', although Mr Tóibín and party delegates reject the comparison. Maria Byrne, from Kilcullen, Co Kildare joined the party because of 'disillusionment with Fianna Fáil' who were not listening 'to the concerns of ordinary people'. Dismissing any likeness between Aontú and Nigel Farage's populist party in the UK, she says she is 'left-leaning on political issues', adding: 'Some people think that Aontú is a right-wing party because it is pro-life. I'm pro-life in that it is a human rights issue.' Theresa Lynch from Cork North-West traditionally voted Fianna Fáil and joined Aontú 'because I'm pro-life'. She believes Fianna Fáil 'are not listening to any of our concerns', whether about immigration, education or the HSE's vaccination programme. Adam O'Neill (18) from Carnew, Co Wicklow, says Reform is economically a right-wing organisation while 'Aontú is left-wing', and 'we aren't as populist or as driven by the trends of the time'. Delegates at the ardfheis on Saturday backed a motion calling for an 'outright ban' on anyone who 'purposely destroyed their travel documents' entering the State. However, party members at the event in Gormanston, Co Meath, rejected a motion stating that no non-Irish citizen should be allowed to 'enter the State if they have a criminal conviction'. During the first debate at the ardfheis, on the topic of international protection, Meath councillor Emer Tóibín, the leader's sister, said there was 'no long-term plan' for the 'unsustainable' immigration system. Delegates also supported a motion stating that only the national flag should be displayed on public buildings as public spaces should not be aligned 'with any particular ideology or political stance'. Aontú more than doubled its vote share (to 3.9 per cent) in the general election, returning two TDs – Mr Tóibín and Mayo-based Paul Lawless. Critics claim that, like Reform, the party engages in the 'culture wars' on issues like gender recognition but Mr Tóibín says 'we're just standing with the people'. 'Aontú is on the rise' because 'we have a backbone, we are confident to stand against the prevailing winds of the political establishment' and 'puncture the political bubble that exists in Leinster House', says the former Sinn Féin TD. On immigration, 'compassion and common sense is where the vast majority of Irish people exist' but the Government is 'in a bubble' and 'not listening to the people', Mr Tóibín adds.
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Release the hounds' – Peadar Tóibín likens Micheál Martin to Montgomery Burns in ‘insulting' TV jibe at ard fheis speech
Peadar Tóibín yesterday compared Taoiseach Micheál Martin to the cartoon character Montgomery Burns, the nuclear plant owner in the TV series The Simpsons.
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Aontú's Peadar Tóibín's speech at ardfheis to be televised on RTÉ for first time
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín's keynote speech at his party's ardfheis will be televised on RTÉ for the first time, a reflection of an increased election vote. Voter share rose from 1.9 per cent in the 2020 general election to 3.9 per cent in 2024, an increase sufficient to secure the party live TV coverage. Aontú, which translates as 'Unity', says it has 1,800 members, about 400 of whom are expected to attend the fifth annual ardfheis at the City North Hotel in Gormanston, Co Meath. Membership surged in the wake of the failed family and care referendums last year, when Aontú was the only political party to successfully advocate for a No vote in both. READ MORE Mr Tóibín said 'we have built a grass roots, membership-based, cumann infrastructure around the country at a time when the establishment parties are losing theirs'. Speaking before the one-day event, he said 'the referendums were a watershed in the ability of the Irish people to tolerate meaningless virtue signalling. We are the only party listening to the people. [ Aontú 'actively considering' running candidate in presidential election Opens in new window ] 'We were the only party to stand up for the people on the referendums, the hate speech laws, carbon taxes, the right to life, the Government's chaotic immigration policy and gender ideology. We did so on the basis of commonsense and compassion.' The leader's speech will be broadcast live after the Six One News on RTÉ 1 and the party's debate on 'Aontú Accountability versus Glacial Government Delivery' from 12 to 1pm will be covered on the RTÉ news channel. This debate will focus on the 'glacial' pace of delivery on infrastructure projects including the national children's hospital. International protection, health, housing, crime and 'commonsense political reform' are also among the debate topics at the daylong event. The theme of the ardfheis is to tackle 'Government Incompetence, Waste and Lack of Accountability'. Mr Tóibín said, 'key public services and key infrastructure across the country is grinding to a halt and bloating in cost every day. 'The national children's hospital is a monument to government incompetence. But there are dozens of other wasteful projects ballooning out of all proportion. This has a serious cost to citizens.' Five years after the former Sinn Féin member and Meath West TD founded Aontú it now has two TDs – Mr Tóibín and Mayo TD Paul Lawless; Cavan Senator Sarah O'Reilly; and eight local councillors who include Mr Tóibín's sister, Navan-based Cllr Emer Tóibín; and Mr Lawless' sister Cllr Deirdre Lawless who was co-opted to replace him on Mayo County Council. Councillors also include Trim, Co Meath-based Cllr Dave Boyhan; Castleknock, Dublin Cllr Ellen Troy; Cllr Adrian Rogers from Cootehill, Co Cavan; Ongar, Co Dublin-based Cllr Gerard Sheehan; Wexford Cllr Jim Codd; and Limerick Cllr Sarah Beasley.
