A Dublin judge has found that Tusla did not comply with court directions to return cases to court where a social worker was not allocated to a child in their care within four weeks.

Judge Conor Fottrell conducted the inquiry and presented his findings this week.

“The District Court... has significant jurisdiction to remove a child from a parent and place of the State where there’s concerns for the safety and welfare of that child,” Shane Phelan of the Irish Independent told The Pat Kenny Show.

“What Judge Conor Fottrell found when he was reviewing one of these cases was that a child had not been allocated a social worker.

“He became concerned because he wanted to know why was this case not re-entered, if that was the case?”

It turned out, the problem was widespread and impacts hundreds of children.

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