As the search for a missing boy in Donabate continues, the principal of an inner city national school in Dublin has said she is not surprised by his disappearance.
The search for the boy, which has entered its third week, has centered at a site on the Portrane Road outside Donabate in North County Dublin.
Speaking at a child protection event organised by the Children's Rights Alliance, the Principal of Rutland Street National School said there were "huge gaps and holes in the system".
Niamh Murray cited an example to those gathered, of a child enrolled into her school who, despite his age, did not have basic numeracy or literacy skills.
When Ms Murray asked the child's parents where he had been in school prior to his enrolment at Rutland NS, they named an area/district.
The Rutland Street Principal spoke to a principal of a school in that area, who understood that the child and his family had moved to another county.
Nationwide database of primary school pupils
Ms Murray suggested to the panel at today's event - which included the CEO of Tusla, the Children's Ombudsman, the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Children's Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division and the CEO of Barnardos - that the Department of Education's Primary Online Database (POD) system should be utilised.
The POD is a nationwide database of primary school pupils which notes their enrolment as they move through the primary education system and on to post primary.
Speaking to journalists after the event, Ms Murray said "To my mind, no one is looking to children on the POD that aren't turning up (to school)."
She questioned the number of children connected to information on the POD who are not attending school.
Ms Murray expressed concern over the prospect of there being many missing children across the State and the potential risk of child trafficking and child deaths.
The event which marked the end of Child Poverty Week was organised by the Children's Rights Alliance prior to news of the disappearance of the boy in Donabate.
All the speakers referenced the continuing search, including Tusla's CEO Kate Duggan and Children's Ombudsman Niall Muldoon.
Ms Duggan said she shared everyone's concern about the "harrowing case" and reiterated her acknowledgment that the family was known to Tusla family support services for a period.
The Tusla CEO previously confirmed that there were no child protection concerns regarding the case.
She told people gathered that the Child and Family Agency would engage fully with the NRP (National Review Panel) in its review of the case.
Rapid review by Tusla
A rapid review by Tusla is currently underway to establish its engagement with the family.
That review is likely to be sent to the NRP next week.
A wider review requested by the Minister for Education into cases that were closed by Tusla during the Covid-19 pandemic will take longer.
At today's event, the Ombudsman for Children acknowledged that the number of publications by the National Review Panel were more than the number he stated on RTÉ's Prime Time two weeks ago, but he reiterated his call for the establishment of a body with statutory footing to look into child deaths in the State.
Ms Duggan agreed that the statutory requirement called for by Dr Niall Muldoon was something everyone wanted.
'Difficult' week for Tusla - principal
She described the week before last as "a very difficult one" for the agency.
"It was difficult for the staff, for the people in Donabate and community services out in Donabate and it was difficult regarding the media reporting and disinformation," she stated.
Assistant Sec General, Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division, Dept of Chikdren Disability and Equality Lara Hynes expressed concern about the missing child on behalf of Minister Norma Foley and Department officials.
She said alongside colleagues from Tusla, the Department was determined to learn any lessons that emerged from "this sad case".
Ms Hynes said the Department would be assisted by colleagues on the National Review Panel whose work she described as "astute".
