Youth Services

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Ceisteanna (499)

Colm Burke

Ceist:

499. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is satisfied that the proposed alignment of services (details supplied) in Cork under Tusla’s reform programme will not reduce accessibility for vulnerable young people aged 15 years and over who are out of home or at risk of homelessness; if these services will continue to be delivered from a visible, community-based location in Cork city; and if she will provide assurances that Tusla’s reforms are consistent with Sláintecare Strategy 2025 commitments to prevention, early intervention and community delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3094/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Deputy Norma Foley)

Tusla has indicated that the services provided from Liberty Street House will continue to be provided.

Tusla is undertaking a Reform Programme which will continue to meet the needs of service users of Liberty Street Services. The preventative aspect of work undertaken in Liberty Street Services will align with Family Support and Safety and Welfare structures and all relevant cases in Liberty Street Services will continue to be worked on within newly aligned Tusla networks in 2026.

Tusla Structural Reform will bring opportunities to the young people and families that Liberty Street Services work with. It will also deliver an integrative response of early intervention/family support and child welfare – which Liberty Street Services has responded to in a myriad of ways since it opened.

Under the Reform Programme, the expertise developed in Liberty Street Services on the impact of domestic violence on children will be available more broadly to the Front Door Teams across networks. Equally, Liberty Street staff who have developed a skillset in working with teenagers will continue to utilise these relational skills.

I appreciate all of the work done by the team in Liberty Street House on behalf of the state and local government.