Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

603. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of supporting arriving refugee unaccompanied minors here in 2017; the number of minors to be expected; the cost per child; and the amount that has been allocated by her Department for the care of arriving refugee children and minors. [14828/17]

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

I am closely monitoring the emerging situation and I am in close contact with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure this whole of Government response to this humanitarian effort is successful.

Based on current commitments and the likely number that will be referred from immigration services, which can vary from year to year, it is expected that there will be at least 160 unaccompanied minors received by Tusla’s Separated Children Seeking Asylum team over the course of the year.

Our current commitments includes Ireland’s refugee programme through which we can expect to receive 20 unaccompanied minors from Greece and 40 from Calais in respect to the Dáil resolution passed last November.

In terms of the cost per child – in a full year, residential requirements for a child can be expected to cost between €200,000-€250,000. This cost applies for all children in residential care. If a child is over 12 years old and placed in a fostering situation, the carer or family will receive from Tusla an allowance of €352 per week, and there are additional costs to Tusla including that of the allocated social worker, supervision, and administration costs.