Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1135. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount her Department has spent on guardian ad litem services, broken down by county and provider. [33982/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Section 26 of the 1991 Child Care Act provides for the appointment of a guardian ad litemin respect of care proceedings where a child is not a party to those proceedings and where the court is satisfied that it is necessary in the best interests of the child and in the interests of justice to have a guardian ad litemappointed. Section 26 also obliges Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to pay costs (fees, travel and legal representation) incurred by a guardian ad litemin the performance of his/her functions.

In 2015, a total of €14.148m was expended on guardian ad litem arrangements i.e. €8.189m on guardian ad litemfees and €5.959m on legal representation. In 2016, a total of €15.222m was expended i.e. €8.15m on guardian ad litem fees and €7.072m on legal representation.

I have requested further information from Tusla for 2015 and 2016, by county and provider, and I will revert to the Deputy once I have been furnished with the Agency’s response.