A judge has requested Tusla staff to do a welfare check at the home of two children who have not been to school since March as he wants “to know that they are alive”.
At the Family Law Court Judge Alec Gabbett requested that Tusla educational welfare officers visit the home of the two boys after being told Tusla staff have not had sight of them for some time. In an apparent reference to the Kyran Durnin case, Judge Gabbett said: “Does Tusla know where they are bearing in mind what has been in the newspapers? There has been 100 per cent absence from school since March, which is quite extraordinary. There have been no sightings of the children and mum and dad are unwell,” he said.
“Where are the children if they are not at school?,” the judge asked.
Solicitor for Tusla, Kevin Sherry said: “That is the concern judge.”
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Judge Gabbett said he was requiring the welfare check to be carried out “in the territory we are in this week in all that we are seeing in the news”.
He said the welfare check at the address of the family should be done immediately. “I just want to know that they are alive. Someone needs to go out and check this address.”
The case was before the court as Tusla is prosecuting the children’s parents for the boys’ “chronic absence” from school. In response to Judge Gabbett asking “are they alive?” Mr Sherry said: “I understand that they are alive. My client hasn’t had sight of them for some time.”
The Tusla educational welfare officers later returned to court after carrying out a check to confirm there was no one at the address.
Judge Gabbett issued bench warrants for the parents to be arrested and brought before the court.
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