Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ward, who gave me his place in the committee meeting today. I missed the Minister's opening statement, but I had read it already. He will have noticed that I have tabled a few questions to the Minister around the issue of foster care. He touched on the issue of pensions, on the lack of pensions and PRSI contributions and on the increase in the allowance. He said he has met with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys. Can he give us a bit more detail on what kind of movement is there? Is there a timeframe for her to come back to the Minister? How are the negotiations going there? Also, has the Minister received any feedback from Tusla about the fostering drive they had a couple of months ago? Was there was much take-up there?

I would also like ask the Minister if he has considered the model of foster care we have had used thus far in the State. It mainly tends to be done by a mammy who has given up work and who has decided to become a foster family. There may be empty-nesters sometimes. Although I know this issue can be fuzzy, there is a requirement to have an empty spare bedroom. However, that is not happening a lot at the moment, because people have 30-year-olds who are still living at home with them. That model is changing and we need a bit of urgency brought to this case because most foster carers I know of are not working. The mammies are not doing paid work outside the home. However, there are a lot of trips - medical trips, trips to speech and language therapy, mental health appointments, etc. It is not really a job where you are available to work from nine to five, in many cases. Has the Minister has looked at the changing model of foster families we will need?