Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

As Deputy Neville knows, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to look at the long-term pension provision for foster carers. The Department is engaging with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, which has line responsibility and operational management for foster caring, and with Tusla. We will engage with other stakeholders as necessary in terms of looking at the commitment to see how we can operationalise it.

I absolutely assure Deputy Neville that within the Department we are very aware of the very important work of foster carers. This is why this year I expanded the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to specifically include foster parents, who had been directly excluded from the scheme until then. I will continue to work in the Department to ensure we have the best supports available. I plan to have a meeting with Foster Care Ireland in the coming weeks.

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