Fred McBride | Broadsheet.ie

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Dr. Katherine Zappone TD and CEO of Tusla Fred McBride at a press briefing in Government Buildings for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in relation to Budget 2018 last November

This afternoon.

The Board of Tusla has today been informed of the decision by its CEO Fred Mc Bride to step down from his role and to depart the organisation at the end of September, 2018.

In a communication issued to staff this afternoon, the Deputy Chair of the Board, Mr Rory O’Ferrall said they had accepted with regret Mr Mc Bride’s decision and thanked him sincerely for his contribution to the organisation…

He added that while operating against a very challenging backdrop, it was widely recognised that Mr Mc Bride and his team had also presided over a period of considerable reform in which several important milestones has been reached in the advancement of child protection, welfare and support services for families in Ireland….

Mr Mc Bride acknowledged the work done by the 4000 staff within Tusla.

He said: “I want to acknowledge the hard working staff of Tusla and their unstinting commitment in the delivery of child and family support services nationally. I also want to thank the members of the Tusla Board for their ongoing support of the entire management team throughout some very challenging periods of my tenure, and to acknowledge in particular the Chair of the Board, Norah Gibbons at this time.”

A Statement from Tusla this afternoon following the stepping down of Fred McBride. who became CEO in February 2016 replacing this guy.

Disclosures Tribunal-related?

We may never know.

More as we get it.

Tusla

Previously: Tusla on Broadsheet

Rollingnews

Tusla CEO Fred McBride

This afternoon.

At a meeting of the Oireachtas committee on Children and Youth Affairs.

Tusla’s Chief Executive Officer Fred McBride is answering questions in respect of a report published by HIQA yesterday.

HIQA’s report looked at the management of allegations of child sexual abuse against adults by Tusla – after it emerged that Tusla had sent a notification containing a wholly false allegation of rape against Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe to An Garda Síochána in May 2014.

This false rape allegation was brought to the attention of the then Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan in the same month.

Sgt McCabe wasn’t made aware of this false allegation until January 2016 when Tusla wrote to him and told he was being investigated for this.

Between May 2015 and December 2015, Sgt McCabe was involved in the O’Higgins Commission of Investigation which examined his complaints about poor policing in Cavan/Monaghan and throughout this time, he never knew this false allegation had been documented by Tusla and sent to the gardaí.

It wasn’t until June 2016 that Tusla wrote to Sgt McCabe and told him a mistake had been made.

These matters are currently being examined by Supreme Court judge Peter Charleton at the Disclosures Tribunal.

The HIQA report identified 65 cases where the group failed to protect children at “potential risk” of abuse.

The meeting can be watched here.

The report can be read in full here