Sharon Keogan demands answers on newborn removals by Tusla
Sharon Keogan raised urgent concerns about newborns removed by Tusla after a reported case of an infant taken 14 days after birth who is now failing to thrive following a switch from breastfeeding to formula. She called for the Minister to appear before the House for clarity on removal frequency, safeguards for nutrition and development, and oversight of Tusla leadership including CEO Kate Duggan.
Allegations of harm after newborn removals
The speaker highlighted a reported case in which a newborn removed 14 days after birth began losing weight, vomiting after every feed and required reflux medication after being switched from breastfeeding to formula. She said these outcomes underline a failure of proportionality in state intervention and warned of potential lifelong harms from early malnutrition, developmental setbacks and emotional trauma.
Data and accountability gaps
The speaker pointed out that Tusla's published performance data contains no separate metric for newborn removals and identified no public accountability for whether breastfeeding options are prioritised. She argued that the absence of transparent data means there is no clear picture of how many newborns face this fate each year.
Requests for ministerial appearance and oversight
She called on the Minister to attend the chamber without delay to explain how often Tusla removes newborns, what safeguards exist to protect nutritional and developmental needs, and what oversight mechanisms hold Tusla leadership, including CEO Kate Duggan, accountable for these decisions.
Historical context and closing remarks
Referencing the mother and baby home scandals, the speaker warned against repeating past mistakes and urged that Tusla must provide support to the birth mother and child in the earliest days. She closed by saying no newborn should be taken from its birth mother like that and offered Christmas wishes, noting particular sympathy for Senator Costello and Senator Clifford Lee who will be without their parent this year.
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trend in how newborns are being removed by Tusla. Recently has been reported in the media that a newborn taken just 14 days after birth is now failing to thrive, has lost weight, is vomiting after every feed and is on reflux medication, all occurring post-removal and the switch from breastfeeding to formula in state care. This infant suffering underlines a failure of proportionality in state intervention. The damage inflicted in these early days, malnutrition, developmental setbacks, emotional trauma, can leave lifelong scars. Yet we do not know how many newborns face this faith each year. Tusla publishes performance data contains no separate metric for newborn removals and no public accountability for whether breastfeeding options are prioritised. Given the potential for irreversible harms, I call on the Minister to appear before the House without delay. We urgently need clarity on how often Tusla removes newborns. What safeguards exist to protect their nutritional and developmental needs? What oversight mechanisms hold Tusla leadership under CEO Kate Duggan accountable for these decisions? If we are serious about protecting the most vulnerable, our youngest citizens, we must interrogate this practice openly and thoroughly. So I therefore call on the Minister to attend this chamber at the earliest opportunity to address these critical questions. We should have learned from the mother and baby home scandals. We don't want this coming down the road again in our futures. No newborn should ever be whipped away from its birth mother like that. Ever. Tusla must put in the support to look after that birth mother and that child at the earliest days. So I want to wish everybody a very happy Christmas in the chamber and I'll be thinking especially of Senator Costello and Senator Clifford Lee who will be without their parent this year for the first Christmas. So I wish you all a very happy Christmas. I wish you all a very happy Christmas.
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