Two girls missing from Tusla care believed to be sleeping rough in England

By Anna Zacharias, The Kerryman

Two girls missing from Tusla care in Kerry caught a 4.30am ferry to England last Tuesday, August 4 and are believed to be at high risk of exploitation, Tralee District Court heard on Thursday.

Interpol are now involved in the case.

The girls are in regular contact with a Tusla worker but British authorities have limited engagement because their exact whereabouts remain unknown.

Card transactions indicate the girls were in Liverpool and may now be in London.

The girls told the worker they had slept rough and been mugged.

The girls are believed to have travelled with money from a disability payment but there are concerns they are at high risk of exploitation.

“We’ve encouraged the girls to return of their own accord,” a social worker told the judge.

Card transactions indicate they were in Liverpool and, most recently, London.

Unless the London borough of their location is identified, UK authorities must limit their engagement.

“Nobody will take responsibility until we know where they are located,” the court heard.

At least one girl has stopped using her Irish phone and the court heard engagement could be limited because Tusla does not allow social media, including Whatsapp Messenger, on work phones.

One of the girls is a foreign national. Care workers understood she was at risk of leaving the jurisdiction and had her travel documents, the court heard.

It is believed she used her PPS card to board the ferry.

In order to re-enter Ireland, she would need to meet a social worker who could bring her travel documents.

“She has no status to re-enter the country,” the social worker told the court.

A judge in Cork recently issued an application for a section 47 report, which was submitted in Tralee.

This allows a court to order an independent report by suitable professionals on matters affecting a child’s welfare. It is used to inform judgements.

Judge Liz Healy described the situation as “serious and precarious” and granted directions outlined in the application to facilitate the girls’ safe return to the jurisdiction.

The section 47 will be furnished immediately, with orders to be recognised and enforced in the UK.

It hoped the Hague Convention can be applied to assist the girls’ return to Ireland.

A solicitor indicated she may re-submit the order with a more specific wording in the near future.