Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
680. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 66233/26 of 17 September 2026, which did not identify any statutory provision, the specific statutory provision or regulation that governs the oversight, inspection and statutory visiting of children placed outside the State; and if no such specific provision exists, to confirm that plainly. [68763/26]
View answerThe Child Care Act 1991 is the statutory framework for child welfare and protection in Ireland. Tusla, in discharging its statutory responsibilities under the Child Care Acts 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.
The oversight and statutory visiting of children in placements outside the State is commensurate with arrangements within the State, as the statutory duty is placed on Tusla in both cases. The majority of children placed outside the state are placed in foster care. For the small number of other placements, all centres in which children are placed are subject to the regulatory and inspection framework of that jurisdiction.
