Tusla Chair - Pat Rabbitte Resigns

The chairperson of Tusla Ireland’s Child and Family Agency has stepped down after seven years in the position, marking a significant leadership change at the State body responsible for child protection, welfare, and family support services. This development comes amid sustained scrutiny of Tusla’s performance, governance, and operational challenges, and is poised to influence ongoing debates about child safeguarding and public accountability in Ireland.

Leadership Profile: Pat Rabbitte

Pat Rabbitte, the outgoing chairperson, is a veteran Irish public figure. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for over 25 years, leader of the Labour Party from 2002 to 2007, and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2011 to 2014. Rabbitte was first appointed chair of Tusla’s board in January 2019 by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, and later reappointed in January 2024 by Current Minister Roderic O’Gorman, with that term explicitly set to conclude on 30 December 2025 in line with statutory term limits and appointment agreements.

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Under the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, board members including the chairperson may not serve more than two consecutive terms, and Rabbitte’s second term was scheduled to end this month.

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Governance and Regulatory Context

Tusla is governed by a statutory board that sets the strategic oversight, accountability, and governance framework for the agency. The board is tasked with oversight of corporate strategy, risk policy, budgets, and ensuring Tusla meets statutory obligations and public expectations under the Act. Executive management, led by the chief executive officer, is responsible for day-to-day operations and implementation of Board-approved plans.

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The current Chief Executive Officer is Kate Duggan, who succeeded Bernard Gloster in 2023. Gloster now serves as CEO of the Health Service Executive but will remain in public service leadership until his own departure in 2026.

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Operational Challenges and Public Scrutiny

The resignation of the chair coincides with a period of intense public and regulatory focus on Tusla’s performance, governance, and delivery of child protection services:

Inspection findings by HIQA (Health Information and Quality Authority) have repeatedly identified areas requiring improvement in child protection and welfare services, including governance, risk management, and case supervision across regions. Some inspections found compliance gaps in child abuse substantiation procedures and delays in governance systems, prompting recommendations for strengthened oversight and staffing.

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Data and operational performance reviews have revealed considerable demand pressures on Tusla services. National figures showed tens of thousands of child protection referrals annually, reflecting growing societal challenges such as cost-of-living stresses, homelessness, domestic violence, and other risk factors for families.

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Criticism from political voices and public protests has emerged whenever serious incidents involving children in care have occurred. Demonstrations outside Tusla headquarters have called for greater accountability in response to high-profile cases.

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Internal correspondence between Tusla and the Department for Children highlighted tensions over fulfilment of statutory duties particularly in relation to special care beds with some officials describing responses as “insufficient” but Tusla leadership rejecting the characterisation.

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Recent investigative reporting has underscored broader systemic issues, including frequent reports of children going missing from Tusla run care homes and questions about data integrity and social work resourcing. These findings have fuelled political calls for a root and branch review of child protection services.

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Implications of the Chairperson’s Departure

Rabbitte’s departure at the end of a statutorily permitted second term brings a change in governance at a critical juncture. The process to appoint a new chairperson is being facilitated through the Public Appointments Service (PAS), with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality inviting applications to fill the position.

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Leadership change at the board level may have near-term implications for:

Governance oversight and strategic direction, particularly as Tusla continues to implement reforms and respond to inspectorate findings.

Public confidence and accountability frameworks, as scrutiny of child welfare agencies remains high in the wake of serious cases.

Relations with the Department for Children and other State bodies, as these interfaces are central to commissioning and delivery of services across sectors.

Looking Forward and Next Steps

A new chairperson will be expected to provide strengthened governance leadership, ensure robust oversight of operational reforms, and help steer Tusla through a period of sustained external examination of child protection practices. The appointment will be closely watched by policymakers, advocacy groups, and the public alike, particularly as Ireland continues efforts to modernise and improve services for vulnerable children and families.

Aaron Joyce, Newswire, LTT Media; Newsdesk; 31 December 2025