Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The guidance would be welcome. It is regrettable that 45% of children in care have been the subject of voluntary care orders that have lasted for longer than five years. The Minister mentioned that orders were meant to be temporary, but no one can say that "temporary" means "five years". We need to discuss the negative impact of placing children under voluntary care orders for longer than 12 months.

Everyone will agree that reunification should always be the goal, but there must be a measurable goal. This is not just about the children's best interests; we must also consider the caregivers. There must be a clear pathway in order that caregivers and Tusla can know where they are going. The fact that 45% of children in care have been under voluntary care orders for longer than five years means they are not successful.

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