Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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1696. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of the 5,893 unallocated cases, 991 of which they deemed high priority, mentioned in the June 2017 Tusla activity report that relate to section 3 referrals. [38919/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Child Care Act, 1991, as amended, is the central piece of legislation regarding the care and welfare of children. The Act is the basis for providing child welfare and protection service, receiving children into care, developing aftercare plans, and the provision of alternative care, e.g. foster care, residential centres.

Section 3 of the Child Care Act requires Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and attention, and to identify such children. Overall, 40% of referrals to Tusla's Child Protection and Welfare Services are related to children with high levels of need arising from physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and 60% to neglect and welfare concerns. Tusla received 47,399 referrals in 2016, a 9% increase on referrals in 2015.

Under the provisions of Section 3 Tusla is required to access allegations of historical abuse made by adults in order to establish if there are children currently at risk.

I can advise that, in this context, all of the 5,893 unallocated cases to which the Deputy refers relate to Section 3 of the Child Care Act. However, this figure refers to child protection and welfare referrals where the risk is identified as current.

Tusla also receives historical/retrospective abuse referrals, where the focus is on establishing if there are children currently at risk. These referrals are recorded separately.