Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Canney and I, along with other members of the Regional Group, met representatives of foster families some weeks ago. There are very distinct challenges in the sector, not least access to pension entitlements. The Minister has had some engagement on this. It seems extraordinary that women who left the private sector workforce and took on foster care were not advised that they should have tried to regularise their stamps or were not given an opportunity to do so. We spoke to one foster lady who has arrived at 68 years of age and has now retired. She has no access to a contributory pension and a recognition for the 30 years of fostering she did. There does not seem to any pathway for her to access any kind of increased social security support. I do not think that is adequate. I understand there are 5,800 children in foster care at the moment. I ask the Minister to respond to a specific question. How much are we paying, on average, for children in residential foster care? I have been advised that we could be paying anywhere from €1,500 to €10,000 per week. Could the Minister respond to me on that?

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