Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am aware of various organisations making calls for safeguarding and child protection measures to be put in place for children fleeing Ukraine. Tusla has a significant role in the State's response to support individuals, particularly women and children, displaced from Ukraine as a result of the war and coming into Ireland. Tusla is committed to balancing the needs of families in a humanitarian crisis with its child protection responsibilities and requirement to support families and promote the welfare of children.

Where children enter Ireland and present to emigration authorities as separated children seeking international protection, Tusla's specialist separated children social work team attend the airport or port to meet with the young person to undertake an assessment, supported as required by relevant translators. If the individual is deemed to be a separated child, the social worker will, in the first instance, see if the child can be reunited with his or her family. If it is assessed that the child needs care, he or she will be received into State care under section 4 of the Child Care Act 1991 and placed in foster care or specialised residential care. Where an immigration official has a concern about the welfare and safety of a child travelling with adults who are not his or her parents, that official will contact Tusla, which will assess the situation. Between 16 and 21 March of this year, Tusla received 22 referrals of separated children from Ukraine. A number of these were subsequently reunited with family members; as such, as of 22 March, Tusla had 13 separated children in State care. Where an individual has any child protection concerns, a referral should be made to Tusla.

In responding to any child protection concerns, Tusla's staff have access to translators, as required, and the translation of key information on the tusla.iewebsite is under way. The Government website, gov.ie/ukraine, already contains much information that has already been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.

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