Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the number of children in care is decreasing, but we still have a very high number, at 6,331 children. In my part of the city, the number is 1,519.

The Minister also mentioned the important role of relatives in the context of foster families. Many of these are grandparents or aunts who have taken in other family members' children, who have addiction, drugs or other problems, and they are doing a fantastic job to save these families.

My question for the Minister relates to the 5% to 8% who are still in residential care. I accept that many of them are dysfunctional and have significant issues and maybe could not survive in a foster family but are there plans to reduce 8% in residential care by taking them out into a broader setting, perhaps a more family-friendly environment?

See this speech in context