Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1193. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children placed in residential care abroad in each year since 2011, by country of placement. [13287/19]

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

I wish to advise the Deputy that prior to the establishment of Tusla in 2014 responsibility for children in care lay with the Health Services Executive. Data relating to children in care prior to that date is held by the HSE.

Children are placed outside of Ireland in exceptional circumstances where a specific service that they require is not available in Ireland, for example, specialist child or adolescent mental health care.

For all such placements, procedures under Brussels II regulations are followed and children remain subject to district or other court review. Social workers allocated to the children continue to monitor their placements and are responsible for creating and monitoring their care plans and making all arrangements for their return home and visits for family and other parties.

The table below lays out the number of children placed in residential care overseas, from 2014 to end January 2019, the most recent date for which information is available.

Table: Number and location of out of state placements 2014- end January 2019