Sharon Keogan urges full probe into Tusla after child's disappearance
Sharon Keogan spoke about the case of young Daniel Arivose and called for a full investigation into Tusla's record after the child disappeared from state oversight. She described the case as a systemic failure and demanded tightened case closure protocols, strengthened data sharing and a statutory independent review of child deaths and disappearances.
Case overview
The tragic case of young Daniel Arivose was raised as an example of a child once in Tusla's care who vanished from sight for years. Keogan said Tusla had Daniel on its radar, engaged with his family and then closed the case in 2020; afterwards he was not in school, not attending health services and not visible in the community, with the situation only noticed when a welfare irregularity emerged.
Calls for investigation
She called for a full investigation into Tusla's record, urging officials to establish, year by year, how many children known to Tusla have been reported missing and how many have remained unaccounted for.
Proposed reforms
Keogan urged tightening of case closure protocols and strengthening of data sharing between Tusla, schools, health services and the Department of Social Protection. She also called for a statutory mechanism for independent review of child deaths and disappearances and for a re-examination of pandemic-related closures.
Accountability and trust
Keogan argued that without transparency and those reforms the public cannot have confidence in the child protection system and families cannot trust that children will be safeguarded. She demanded that Tusla provide the figures and that the Minister ensure every child is treated as a highest priority.
Final demand
Keogan said Daniel's case must be the last time a child disappears in silence and insisted that nothing less than a full independent review into Tusla's practices will suffice. She pressed the House to seek answers and action.
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The tragic case of young Daniel Arivose has shaken the nation. A little boy, once in Tusla's care, vanished from sight for years without anyone raising the alarm. Only when a welfare irregularity was noticed did the questions emerge far too late. This is not simply an individual tragedy, it is a systemic failure. Tusla had Daniel on its radar, engaged with his family and then closed the case in 2020. From then on, no one in the state noticed that he was not in school, not attending health services, not visible in the community. The question we must ask is how many other children, once known to Tusla, have slipped through the cracks in this way? I am calling today for a full investigation into Tusla's record. We must establish, year by year, how many children known to Tusla have been reported missing and how many have remained unaccounted for. Beyond investigation, we must act. Case closure protocols must be tightened. Data sharing between Tusla, schools, health services and the Department of Social Protection must be strengthened. A statutory mechanism for the independent review of child deaths and disappearances must be established. Re-examining the pandemic closure is a good start, but we must go further to ensure that no child has been left invisible. Without this transparency, without those reforms, the public cannot have confidence in the child protection system. Families cannot trust that their children will be safeguarded. This House must press for answers. Tusla must provide the figures and the Minister must ensure that every child is treated as a highest priority, not a line in a closed file. Daniel's case must be the last time a child disappears in silence. Nothing less than a full independent into Tusla's practices will suffice. Thank you.
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