Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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8. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to detail the numbers and the cost to the State due to children being put in foster care because of their mothers being homeless; whether his attention has been drawn to the number of women in crisis pregnancies facing homelessness who will have to put their babies in foster care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43931/14]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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My question relates to the numbers of children in foster care because their mothers are homeless. It also relates to those women in crisis pregnancies who are facing homelessness and the fact that they may have to put their babies into foster care.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for her question. The role of Tusla is to provide alternative care for a child in cases where there is a need to do so because of concerns in respect of the safety and welfare of the child.

In cases where the social work team have assessed that housing or accommodation is the core issue that needs to be addressed, then they are referred to the local authority, which has statutory responsibility for housing. The social work team will seek to ensure that the needs and welfare of the child are given the highest consideration and may provide a parental supporting role, usually through a family support service. This service can include guidance, counselling or access to supports such as breakfast or homework clubs. However, the financial or economic status of the parent or the issue of homelessness itself are not grounds for seeking a care order through the courts or for placing a child in voluntary care.

Reasons for a child to be received into care are tracked by the agency. However, homelessness of the parent or parents is not a characteristic which is captured, as it would not be a sufficient reason for a child to be in care. For that reason, the agency is not in a position to provide such data.

The agency reported that for the full year of 2012 there were 2,070 children taken into care. In total 1,115, that is 53%, were admitted to care due to child welfare concerns; 593, or approximately 28%, were admitted to care due to neglect; 173,or 8.4%, were admitted to care due to physical abuse; 154, or 7.4%, were admitted to care due to emotional abuse; and 35, or 1.7%, were admitted to care due to sexual abuse.

Dublin City Council has launched a homeless prevention programme and public awareness campaign around families and others relating to their tenant rights. This initiative, which involves the four local authorities and Threshold, aims to support families where they are at risk of homelessness. A helpline service has already dealt with over 2,000 calls and has helped families at risk to protect over 200 tenancies.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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The Minister has given me the theory but the reality is different. Part of the reality is that there is a serious housing crisis, particularly in Dublin, and that the local authorities do not have the housing that is needed.

My question came from the fact that I am involved with a counselling organisation that counsels women in crisis pregnancies. Some of the women whom we are counselling are homeless at the moment. When their babies are born they will continue in homelessness. That is what they are facing. They will have to look for foster care for their babies.

This work, in turn, put me in touch with an organisation that provides housing for women in crisis pregnancies. It has three bedrooms but a waiting list of 29 women who are pregnant. The majority are Irish but some are foreign national women who cannot go back to their country of origin. We know of 29 people who are pregnant and about to give birth in the coming weeks and months. They do not have anywhere to live apart from this one house with three bedrooms provided by one organisation. That is the reality.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The information the Deputy has given me is something that we will further investigate. I would be astonished in this day and age that any woman would have to give up a baby simply because she has no accommodation. There are several agencies in the country which will provide accommodation. Let us go backward in time. We have discussed what happened in the past, when women had to give up their children because of societal, parental or institutional pressure. We are discussing it now because of a homeless situation.

I met a lady yesterday - obviously, I will not mention her name. She told me a harrowing story of how she went to court to claim her baby but was asked by the judge whether she had any place to provide for the baby. That dates back several decades but the point is that is not a tolerable situation. If Deputy O'Sullivan has a list of names of individuals who find themselves in this situation then I would be happy to accept it and find out what arrangements are being put in place. It may not necessarily be my Department's remit, but I will certainly make representations to the appropriate Departments to have this resolved.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for his reply.

I will certainly forward the information to him. We have talked about other programmes which were very much in favour of early childhood care and school completion, but even before that we must provide these women and their babies with a good start. I will send on the information, because that is the reality.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I used the word "astonished". Equally, I would be horrified if that were the case.