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	The chief executive of the Children&#39;s Rights Alliance has said her organisation is concerned that the new Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is another potential casualty of austerity.</p>
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	It follows comments by the Tusla chief executive that the agency does not have enough money at the moment due to demand for its services.</p>
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	Speaking on RT&Eacute;&#39;s Morning Ireland, the Children&#39;s Rights Alliance&rsquo;s Tanya Ward said one in ten children within the child protection system did not have an allocated social worker or care plan.</p>
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	Ms Ward said if the agency did not have enough resources to fulfil its role those statistics could go in the wrong direction.</p>
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	She said the alliance was also concerned that the agency would not be in a position to support the new Children First legislation, which will put a legal obligation on those working with children to make referrals and to report instances of child abuse and neglect to Tusla.</p>
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	Ms Ward said this would result in a big increase in referrals to the agency.</p>
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	She said: &quot;This is the biggest public sector reform in the Programme for Government, and we&#39;ve had 17 official reports documenting how our child protection system was essentially broken.</p>
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	&quot;So you&#39;d imagine with the biggest public sector reform in Government that the Government would then back it with resources.&quot;</p>
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	She added: &quot;And certainly we&#39;re concerned that again, it&#39;s another potential casualty of this austerity.&quot;</p>
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	<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0707/628999-tusla-childrens-rights/">http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0707/628999-tusla-childrens-rights/</a></p>
