Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

11. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to update or extend legal safeguards and redress mechanisms available to homeless children here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37918/18]

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My question is to ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has any plans to update or extend legal safeguards and redress mechanisms available to homeless children in Ireland, and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Children who are homeless are entitled to have the same level of safeguarding as any other child. Child protection concerns will be dealt with by Tusla with the same degree of diligence, care and promptness for any child in need, regardless of whether they or their family are experiencing homelessness. While ultimate responsibility for managing homelessness rests with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, my Department and Tusla are determined to do their part to alleviate the difficulties experienced by children and families who are homeless.

My Department and Tusla have important roles to play in regard to a number of elements of the national action plan for housing and homelessness. In addition Tusla is represented on a number of key interagency fora, including the Homelessness Inter-Agency Group, along with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the Dublin Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum alongside the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE.

Tusla has taken a number of steps to help keep children whose families are experiencing homelessness safe. These include the joint protocol agreed between Tusla and the DRHE, which aims to promote interagency co-operation to address the specific needs of homeless families. As part of the protocol, Tusla provides support to the DRHE’s one-stop shop assessment centres and Tusla's staff participate as required in issues involving child protection and welfare, educational welfare and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services. Referrals received from case workers located in assessment centres are responded to as appropriate and, in addition, the Tusla homelessness liaison officer provides broad-based supports to the centres. Work is under way to replicate this interagency co-operation nationally and Tusla is working with the DRHE and the family resource centres, themselves part-funded by Tusla, to co-ordinate family support services for families in family hubs and other forms of emergency accommodation.

The key legislation relating to legal safeguards for all children, whether homeless or not, is the Children First Act 2015 and it provides for a number of child protection measures that benefit all children, including those who are homeless.

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I listened with interest to some of those speaking at the launch of the Mercy Law Report on children and homelessness. It makes some very good points on how we can help to tackle at least some of the difficulties faced by children who are homeless. What is worrying is that it noted that the insertion of Article 42A into our Constitution has done very little to increase protection for children. The report ultimately concluded that it is very clear that there is a legal gap in protecting our most vulnerable children.

Will the Minister be engaging with the authors of this report, perhaps to look at ways to close these gaps? Are there ways for her Department to work with other Departments, similar to the way it worked with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to bring in the free travel pass for children in emergency accommodation? I do want to say, however, that it was very mean spirited that the pass was revoked over the summer.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question in terms of the research and the authors. I know the centre well and I have the highest regard for its work. We are certainly reviewing that piece of research to which I will pay careful attention. The new article within our Constitution was a driving factor for me to ensure that child protection measures, particularly those that are included in the Children First Act 2015, were finalised and implemented, including the outstanding features, to ensure that we have mandatory reporting. The constitutional amendment was critical in motivating us to do that. It is something that is also the case for children who are homeless as well. In terms of my Ministry and working with Tusla, I have tried to find ways to mitigate the impact of homelessness on children in emergency accommodation. I will continue to commit to finding ways to do that as the Government as a whole tries to respond to that crisis.

Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are almost 4,000 children homeless throughout this State. I am sure that figure upsets everybody here in this House. While I recognise that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government is responsible for housing, the Minister is responsible for children and youth affairs, and these children are looking to her to be their voice. We all saw the photographs of children sleeping in hotel rooms and we found it distressing. Children are growing up with no cooking facilities in hotel rooms. We have heard it all before, but there is no legal right to shelter in this State, nor is there any legal aid for housing or homelessness. Will the Minister outline if she intends to bring in any legislation to protect our most vulnerable children in these situations?

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have indicated that, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I felt that one of the key aspects was implementing mandatory reporting in the Children First Act 2015. I am as conscious as anyone of those statistics increasing and it would distress anyone. As I have indicated, in the context of my Ministry and with Tusla's support, we are focused on and we are committed to providing those children who are experiencing homelessness and are in emergency accommodation with spaces where they and their families can avail of services in a safe, warm and welcoming environment where they feel comfortable and respected. That is especially so in the family resource centres, where the children can do their homework, relax, receive nutritious food or avail of Wi-Fi. I have put in place measures to ensure that they can continue to receive free childcare places and supports, indicating above all additional ways in which we can support them if they are in that emergency accommodation, particularly in terms of the hubs and finding ways for the family resource centres to work more closely with them. Those children who are experiencing those difficulties will receive all of the support that my Department can offer.