Tusla seeks respite place for girl (15) staying in ‘unsafe’ hostel

The Child and Family Agency is actively seeking a respite placement for a teenage girl currently staying at a hostel which the High Court heard is “chaotic,” “unsuitable” and “unsafe” for her.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was placed in the hostel with several older teenage, homeless males in July.

She is the only female at the premies and claims that some of the others staying at the hostel have engaged in anti-social behaviour and have problems with intoxicants.

The court also heard the girl has been the victim of two serious sexual assaults by older men, which took place outside of the hostel since she was placed there.

Those allegations are being investigated by gardai.

Arising out of concerns for her health and safety the teen, through her mother and represented by Ronan Munro SC, has brought High Court proceedings aimed at securing a safe residential placement for her.

In proceedings against Tusla, the Ministers for Education and Children, Ireland and the Attorney General, she seeks various orders and declarations including an order that she be provided with a safe place to stay.

She also seeks declarations that she be provided with proper educational facilities and that her human rights have been breached.

The action was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Michael Twomey during Tuesday’s vacation sitting of the High Court.

The judge was told by lawyers for theTusla it required time to respond to the girl’s proceedings added that it was actively seeking respite accommodation for the teenage girl and that it had been seeking to find a suitable place for her to stay.

Mr Munro welcomed Tusla’s response and said his side was consenting to the adjournment.

Mr Justice Twomey agreed to adjourn the case to later this week.

Previously the court heard that the girl, who for various reasons cannot live with family members, has been the subject of interim care orders and had been placed in foster homes.

She finds the facility she was placed at in July scary, particularly when other residents bang on her bedroom door during the night.

There is also a curfew of 9pm. On occasions when the girl has missed the curfew, it is claimed that she was not let into the hostel by its staff, who allegedly told her to go to a nearby Garda station.

She does not want to stay at the station and has spent the nights she was unable to get into the hostel either outdoors or at other locations away from the hostel.