Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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393. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she continues to improve the services available for the protection of children in the home, in foster care or in statutory residential care; if sufficient resources continue to be available to meet all likely future requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19128/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am committed to supporting the Child and Family Agency in meeting the growing needs of children and families. I was pleased to secure an additional €40.6 million for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in 2018. This is the third year in succession that Tusla has received a significant increase in its funding, which now amounts to over €753m.

The extra resources secured for Tusla in 2018 will assist in meeting key priorities. The additional investment will allow Tusla to recruit a range of additional staff to respond to areas of identified risk, and to meet increased demand for services, including an anticipated increase in referrals following the introduction of mandatory reporting.

As the Deputy will be aware, in December 2017, I commenced all remaining provisions of the Children First Act 2015 in fulfilment of a key Programme for Government commitment to put elements of the Child Protection Guidance on a statutory footing.

The aim of the Act is to improve the care and protection of children by raising awareness of child abuse and neglect. It will help to ensure that child protection concerns, in whichever setting they arise, are brought to the attention of Tusla without delay. The Act is an important addition to the child welfare and protection measures already in place, and it forms part of a suite of child protection legislation including the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.

The framework surrounding the placement of children in the care of the State in foster care (including foster care with relatives) and residential care is governed by the Child Care Act 1991 and associated Regulations, relevant standards and, in the case of private service providers, contractual obligations. This framework to secure the best interests of the child in State care is monitored by Tusla and inspected against by HIQA (in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Health Act 2007).