LAST UPDATE | 22 Jun 2023

IRELAND’S HEALTH STANDARDS watchdog is considering the contents of a report published today into sexual exploitation of teenagers living in residential care centres. 

Researchers have called for for an immediate investigation by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) after “hugely disturbing” findings. The new study released today by UCD’s Sexual Exploitation Research Programme found evidence of organised targeting of children in care by sexual predators.

In a statement to The Journal, a Hiqa spokesperson said that the authority “takes child safeguarding concerns very seriously”.

“Child protection is reviewed on all inspections and where Hiqa identifies any risks the provider of the service is required to take action to ensure that children are appropriately safeguarded. Hiqa is considering the contents of the report published today.” 

The UCD researchers interviewed staff from 14 agencies working with children, as well as consulting senior gardaí and Tusla officials.

One interviewee described “some really dreadful cases” in recent years.

They recounted instances of “young people who were … on a daily basis leaving the [residential] unit late in the evening and coming back early the next morning in taxis, sometimes in very poor shape having taken drugs, being picked up at hotels all around the city”.

“That was a bunch of people—I mean, they’re taxiing these kids all over the city. They’re calling them in the evening. They’re bringing them to hotels and all the rest of it.” 

Another outlined a case involving a teenage girl around age 15 or 16 who was “being badly exploited by a group of men who would call practically every night of the week”.

“There was just a stream of cars there that she was going— and coming back then… with new clothes, new jewellery… this was her payment, bless her, for whatever was happening to her.”

The study identified uncertainty among workers about reporting their suspicions and a culture of discomfort around discussing sexual exploitation.

“It’s an area that I think people find quite difficult to talk about…, I think society in general it’s an area that people are uncomfortable to talk about,” one interviewee said.

Another described it as “still a bit of a whisper among professionals”.

I’m not sure that the full conversation’s been really fully had out there. And it’s almost like—it’s  named but it’s not named… it’s kind of like ‘this is what we think is happening but we’re not really sure’… and we need to say, ‘well, actually we know this has happened for this child.” 

The research has issued several recommendations arising from its findings, including an audit of residential care centres by Hiqa.

Hiqa should immediately investigate and take follow-up action over the revelations that children and young people in the care of the Sate are being targeted for sexual exploitation in an organised manner, the study expressed.

Additionally, the Department of Children and Youth should develop a national policy on protecting children from sexual exploitation.

It also called for increased supports and training for professional care staff in residential care centres, as well as adequate resourcing for specialised Garda units and training for gardaí to understand the risks and complexity involved in sexual exploitation and enhanced investigation of what happens when a child in care goes missing.

Co-author and researcher Dr Mary Canning described the study’s findings as “hugely disturbing”.

“They show the incredible challenge facing the people expected to protect some of the most vulnerable children in our country,” Dr Canning said.

“In order to stay true to their accounts, our report uses direct testimony which shows the barriers faced by professionals who are absolutely committed to protecting children.

What they are witnessing in terms of targeting, grooming and sexual exploitation of children is harrowing. The need for policies, training and other supports to assist those on the frontline have been laid bare for all to see.

“We welcome the openness of both Tusla and the Gardaí in engaging in our research and their examination of our findings. What is needed now is action to ensure all children are protected from groups of men intent on committing crimes and harm.”

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland this morning, Association Researcher Ruth Breslin said that researchers heard of situations “where cars would be lining up at night” outside of residential care homes.

“What’s happening with some of these young girls is that they’re saying, ‘I’m going out with my boyfriend’. Really what that’s about is a predator targeting that young person and preying on their vulnerability.

She said there are “vulnerable children here that really need to be protected” and called on Hiqa to act “urgently” to carry out an investigation.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on children Kathleen Funchion has said she will write to Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman today to support the calls for the government to develop a national policy in response to the study, calling the findings “extremely disturbing”.

“It is totally unacceptable that children as young as 12 are being targeted by organised criminal gangs of older men intent on causing harm and committing crimes,” Funchion said.

I am alarmed at serious concerns in the levels of targeting, grooming and sexual exploitation of children… I am concerned that people working in these settings feel they are faced with an incredible challenge in dealing with these situations – and the concerns raised around inadequate training to deal with these issues, given their criminal nature.

“Children in State care deserve to be protected from this criminality and kept safe so that they can have a better and brighter future full of potential. We cannot allow children to be at the mercy of these criminals to ruin their childhoods and their futures.

“I am calling on the government to immediately commission a thorough investigation into these serious allegations.”