Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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562. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she supports the extension of the parental leave allowance to the parents of foster children in order to assist the parents and the children and to encourage more persons to come forward to act as foster parents. [23323/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, has responsibility for Parent’s Leave. My Department has responsibility for payment of the associated benefit.

Parent's Leave and Benefit is currently available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 for five weeks and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 in order to be eligible for Parent’s Benefit an applicant must be a relevant Parent as outlined in Section 2 (1) of the Act. Foster carers do not come within this definition.

The provision of fostering services is a matter for Tusla. This includes the provision of supports, such as financial supports, that are required by either the foster carers or the foster child. Tusla provides a Foster Care Allowance in respect of each child in foster care. The payment is made to provide for the needs of the child. The weekly Foster Care Allowance is currently €325 per child under 12, and €352 for children aged 12 and over. Foster care allowances from Tusla are not taken into account in the means test for social welfare payments and are not taxable.

The consideration of any additional supports for foster carers is a matter for Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.