Written Answers Nos. 756-775
758. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on private childcare placements for each year from 2020 to 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32432/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
759. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children placed in private childcare placements funded by Tusla in each year from 2020 to 2026; and the proportion this represents of all children in State-funded care. [32433/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
760. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average annual cost per child of private childcare placements funded by Tusla, and the comparative average cost per child in public or directly provided placements, for each year since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32434/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
761. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has conducted or commissioned any comparative cost analysis between private and public childcare placements since 2020; if so, to provide details and findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32435/26]
View answerCrowe was commissioned by the then Department of Children and Youth Affairs to undertake an independent review on the cost of providing quality early learning and childcare in Ireland in 2018. The brief for the Review included:
• analysing the current costs of providing early learning and childcare and the factors that impact on these costs;
• the development and delivery of a model of the unit costs of providing early learning and childcare that allows analysis of policy changes and variation in cost-drivers, including the potential impact of professionalisation; and
• providing an objective, high-level market analysis of the early learning and childcare sector in Ireland, including analysis of fee levels charged to parents.
The final report, Independent Review of the Cost of Providing Quality Early Learning and Childcare Services in Ireland, was published in October 2020.
In the report, the average hourly unit cost for delivering early learning and childcare across all services was €4.14. This average hourly unit cost varied across service type and geographic, though differences across for profit and not for profit services was not reported on.
The broad components of early learning and childcare services’ operating costs were also identified through the Review. This suggested a pattern consistent with those found in other countries, with staff costs accounting for almost 70 percent of the overall operating costs.
One of the recommendations in Partnership for the Public Good, published in December 2021 was that providers who sign up to Core Funding should be required to ‘provide transparent financial reports and participate as required in cost surveys and other necessary data-collection exercises’.
In line with this recommendation, a key condition of receiving Core Funding is financial reporting by Partner Services. For the first two years of the scheme, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, services were required to submit an income and expenditure report via a registered accountant. From programme year 2024/2025 onwards, reporting requirements have been enhanced through replacing the income and expenditure report with a full trial balance completed on an accruals basis
Trial balances are currently being returned from Partner Services in Core Funding in respect of year 3 of the scheme (September 2024-August 2025).
762. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality what governance framework is in place within her Department to oversee expenditure by Tusla on private childcare placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32436/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question.
Tusla is committed to being a transparent and accountable organisation, with performance monitoring and management arrangements in place to focus on driving operational performance improvements.
Section 21 (2) of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013 provide, inter alia, that the Board of Tusla is responsible for promoting high standards of corporate governance and the integrity of the Agency's accounting and reporting systems. This extends to the oversight of its procurement processes. It is also worth noting that Tusla is subject to annual audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Department’s oversight of Tusla extends to the control environment Tusla has in place including the work of Tusla's Audit and Risk committee which, in turn, is responsible for the oversight of the identification and management of risks in the organisation.
Tusla must comply with public procurements rules in its engagement of private residential care providers.
Tusla is continuously striving to improve in respect of its procurement and funding reporting requirements. In the 2024 Annual Report & Financial Statements addition appendix were included to detail amount spent by individual provider.
The appendix referenced can be found at the following link:
www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/Tusla%20Annual%20Report%202024.pdf
Tusla Annual Report 2024.pdf
Appendix 1 Independent Placement Provision Summary by Region pg 198
Appendix 2 Summary of Independent Placement Provision by Providers pg 199
Under the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla is independent in the performance of its functions. The Department does not direct the day to day operations of Tusla. In keeping with the provisions of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, the Department’s governance of Tusla is captured within its Oversight Agreement.
The Oversight Agreement includes references to
• the reporting arrangements between the Department and Tusla,
• the roles and responsibilities of key parties including the role of the Board of Tusla, its Audit and Risk Committee, its Chief Executive Officer and Executive Management team,
• how Tusla's annual business plan and longer term strategy are aligned with the priorities of the Minister and of the Government
• the monitoring arrangements including the formal engagements and different meetings between senior Departmental Official and staff in Tusla to ensure that its actions are properly aligned.
While the Oversight Agreement does not place an obligation on Tusla to provide statistical data of a specific or general nature on applications for emergency care orders under section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991, its management of children subject to care orders is the subject of regular engagement between with the Department.
The Performance Framework is also a key part of the accountability and oversight structure between the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality and Tusla. It provides direction for the work of Tusla for a period of 3 years outlining both the principles and priorities that will structure the development of Tusla's Corporate Plan and its consequent implementation.
763. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department requires Tusla to report on value-for-money, cost drivers, or financial performance in respect of private childcare placements; if so, the frequency and format of such reporting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32437/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question.
As the Deputy will be aware, Tusla was established as an independent agency under the aegis of this department, to promote the development, welfare, education and protection of children and young people, and to provide supports to vulnerable children and families.
As an independent agency under the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, Tusla is independent in the performance of its functions. In keeping with the provisions of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, the Department’s governance of Tusla is captured within an Oversight Agreement. Tusla procures services from external suppliers in compliance with relevant legislation and procurement rules to ensure value for money.
Tusla is committed to achieving value for money in procuring all goods and services. Tusla procures services from external suppliers in compliance with relevant EU legislation and government procurement rules prescribed by the Office of Government Procurement.
The Department has regular monitoring engagement with Tusla at all levels to address issues related to the provision of alternative care services.
Tusla is committed to being a transparent and accountable organisation, with performance monitoring and management arrangements in place to focus on driving operational performance improvements.
Tusla, as an independent body, requires the autonomy and flexibility to make decisions within the budget allocated in discharging its statutory responsibilities. Under the Child Care Act, Tusla must have the best interests of the child as its paramount consideration. It actively monitors every placement of every child in care to ensure its appropriateness to the needs of that child, and any concerns or breaches of standards or regulations are addressed in this context.
Tusla's annual report and financial statements are published each year. The financial statements are independently audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).
The disclosure notes to the financial statements detail the aggregate annual spend on private residential care and private foster care placements. The 2024 Annual Report includes an appendix detailing the total amount paid to each private provider under section 58 of the CFA Act.
In line with government legislation, Tusla also publishes details of all purchase orders exceeding €20,000 online on a quarterly basis, to ensure transparency and accountability in public spending.
The Department works proactively and constructively with Tusla in ensuring that there are appropriate, effective and proportionate governance and oversight arrangements in place that match the obligations of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, safeguard the needs of vulnerable children and families and secure value for money.
764. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether private childcare placements funded by Tusla are explicitly identified as a financial or governance risk within Departmental or Tusla risk registers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32438/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question. As this relates to an operational matter within Tusla, the Deputy's question has been referred to Tusla to reply directly to him.
765. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality what mechanisms are in place to ensure that rates paid to private providers represent value for money over the lifetime of a placement, beyond the initial procurement or tendering process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32439/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question. As this relates to an operational matter within Tusla, his question has been referred to Tusla to reply directly to him.
766. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she has requested, or intends to request, that the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General undertake an examination of the cost-effectiveness or value-for-money of private childcare placements funded by Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32440/26]
View answer767. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any internal or external review, evaluation, or audit of outcomes, cost-effectiveness, or long-term value of private childcare placements is planned; and if so, the timeline and scope; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32441/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 766 and 767 together.
As the Deputy will be aware The Comptroller and Auditor General is an independent officer who audits state accounts and oversees the release of public money from the Exchequer. The primary role involves providing independent assurance to Dáil Éireann that public funds are managed properly, legally, and provide value for money.
I understand that the Comptroller & Auditor General will consider all circumstances involving a perceived abuse of public funds, brought to their attention by members of the public. Whether a particular matter warrants investigation or examination as part of the normal financial audit will depend on the particular circumstances of the matter, its materiality and the evidence available to substantiate the circumstances surrounding the concern.
A number of mitigants (planned expanded capacity, increased funding, novel approaches to staff recruitment and training) are actively being pursued all of which have been set out in greater detail in responses to the Deputy's earlier Parliamentary Questions.
This Department is also pursuing a broader strategic approach to Alternative Care, through the development of Ireland’s first National Policy Framework for Alternative Care, which is expected to be complete this summer. If necessary and prudent to do so, consideration of engaging with the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service may be undertaken, or alternatively, a referral to this Department’s Research and Evaluation Unit to complete a study in this area.
It is important to recognise, monitoring of expenditure in this space is regular and ongoing within Tusla, within this Department's Finance Unit the Child Policy and Tusla Governance Division and within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. At this juncture the Department will not be seeking an intervention from the Comptroller & Auditor General.
768. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how children have been in residential care for each of the past five years under the National Placement Team; and the number of children that are on a waiting list for residential care for each of the past five years. [32466/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
769. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of unaccompanied minors that have been in SEAs for each of the past five years; and the number of non-unaccompanied minors that have been in SEAs for each of the past five years. [32467/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
770. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of unaccompanied minors that have been sent to IPAS for age verification for each of the past five years before being placed in a Tusla residential care unit. [32468/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
771. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of court orders that Tusla has failed to comply with for each of the past five years. [32469/26]
View answerAs this question relates to operational matters managed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, this question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
772. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 144 of 29 March 2026, to provide an update on the outcome of her Department writing to all male Catholic religious congregation in Ireland seeking information on any members who are fathers; the responses received; and any follow up actions, or planned action(s); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32550/26]
View answerIreland's hearing before the Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva in January 2023 set out significant detail on progress towards realising the rights of children and young people in Ireland. In response the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published its Concluding Observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Ireland, setting out its recommendations for Ireland across a range of thematic areas, and across all of Government. Among these Concluding Observations, it recommended strengthening measures to eliminate discrimination against the children of Catholic priests.
As the Deputy will note from the previous response in March 2023, the Department raised this issue with the Irish Episcopal Conference and the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care. At that time the Conference advised that the “Principles of responsibility regarding priests who father children while in ministry” produced by the Irish Episcopal Conference, stood as the guidance for any of their members who found himself in that situation. This continues to be the case. That guidance is available [here].
To review this matter fully and establish the scope of the number of children that might be impacted by this issue, in 2023 the Department contacted male catholic religious congregations in Ireland on this matter and it was subsequently concluded that this required no specific targeted measure to be developed. Notwithstanding this the Department continues to prioritise work on the elimination of discrimination and to strengthen implementation of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), ratified by Ireland in 1992.
In November 2023 the Government published the Young Ireland Policy Framework recognising that children and young people may have specific difficulties accessing their rights. Significant work is underway across Government to address the issues facing children and young people. The Young Ireland Policy Framework:
• sets out current issues impacting children and young people identified by them, as demonstrated by the Children and Young People’s Indicator Set and as highlighted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child;
• sets out a programme of work to create an enabling environment to ensure that children and young people are a central part of everyone’s agenda;
• announces spotlight programmes to focus on the most significant challenges for children and young people, with resources from across government;
• re-establishes governance structures where the State works with civil society partners to provide renewed leadership and impetus to realise existing policy commitments such as First 5, Ireland’s EU Child Guarantee National Action Plan, the newly announced Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office, and other major policy initiatives across Government impacting children and young people;
• identifies the priority areas requiring coordinated action across Government; and,
• identifies a number of complementary actions to address issues that were identified during the development of this framework.
773. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Tusla’s care who reached 18 years-of-age while still listed as 'missing' from State care, for each of the past ten years. [32556/26]
View answer774. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of young people that go missing in care and never re-establish contact before adulthood, for each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if the State tracks outcomes at all once responsibility ends. [32557/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 773 and 774 together.
I thank the Deputy for his question. As this relates to an operational matter within Tusla I have referred the Deputy's question to Tusla to reply directly to him.
775. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to extend the length of paternity leave from its current two weeks to eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32630/26]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, there have been significant developments in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years. The Government is committed to supporting workers, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.
The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid paternity leave. S.6(5) of the Act limits this entitlement in the case of multiple births to a single period of leave.
Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents.
Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco parentis’. Both parents have an equal, separate entitlement to parental leave.
The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave. Otherwise, there is a risk that only mothers would take the leave, potentially creating labour market disadvantages for them and that fathers would not be encouraged to take a greater share of their caring responsibilities.
A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes.
Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families and are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.
The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. The new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was published on the 18th of November 2025. The first Action Plan under the new Strategy is currently being developed and will include actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work. The first Action Plan is due to be published in the coming months. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within this context.
