Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response on behalf of the Minister. I completely understand the matter of competing demands. I had the privilege of chairing the Committee on Children and Youth Affairs for a number of years in the previous Dáil and I fully appreciate the budgetary constraints in Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. One only has to look at the childcare demands the Government has added to the Department to understand the level of investment being made. I fully appreciate the Minister of State’s point. I ask that further consideration be given to bringing the date back from November. Perhaps the Minister will be in a position to review the matter in his budget before the end of the year or in early 2024 to see whether it is possible to support these families sooner.

I recognise the significant sacrifice and extraordinary gesture made by foster carers in showing what I consider to be love towards children who are not their own and in caring for, nurturing and educating them and giving them a safe environment in which to thrive. All of us in this House support that. I want to give them the recognition they are due because I know that over many years it has been a struggle for Tusla to encourage families to serve the State by offering their homes to children. I commend Tusla on the work it does in supporting these families. I thank the Minister of State for his response.

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