The chief executive of the child and family agency Tusla, Gordon Jeyes, says he does not know if any of the staff involved with alleged abuse at a foster home are still working in the system.

A woman with intellectual disabilities - known as 'Grace' - was left in the care of a foster home, at the centre of the alleged sexual abuse, for up to 14 years.

"No names have been provided to me, and no allegations against staff in Tusla", Gordon Jeyes told Newstalk Lunchtime.

"I have not been provided with any names (of those) who have been named in the Conor Devine or the Resilience Ireland report".

But Mr Jeyes says he is trying to get the names of those allegedly involved.

"I am following the statements to the Dáil - which took me by surprise - I have been in contact with senior staff in HSE and I have been promised...that information and I'm sure it will be forthcoming shortly".

"So the fact is, I'm in the worst position - I don't know".

"There is a culture on trial here that puts process before victims - there are loyalties that run high, run deep in Ireland - that we are loyal to our parish, to our club, to our party".

"Have we learnt nothing from the way in which the church had to learn its lessons?".

The director-general Tony O'Brien has told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that State agencies had missed several opportunities to remove 'Grace' from the home.

Asked if he thought there maybe other cases like this out there, Mr Jeyes said: "I think in terms of the history of it, that's possible".

Mr Jeyes says his agency is doing its best to put the victims first in such cases.