Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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65. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether local authorities and public servants delivering services should be required to put the rights and best interests of the child first when helping families presenting as homeless, including factors such as access to their school, medical and therapeutic needs, and also supporting family relationships and wider social support; if he agrees that every child who needs timely access to a child support worker should have it; if he will ensure that these supports for children facing homelessness are enacted immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25936/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The primary responsibility for housing and managing homelessness lies with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authorities.

This area of work requires a whole-of-Government approach, with a multitude of key stakeholders playing a vital role in addressing the fundamental issues arising in addressing homelessness.

Tusla provides family support and prevention and early intervention services for children and their families through a multiagency and coordinated response. Tusla works in partnership with Local Authorities, the HSE and the community and voluntary sector focusing on prevention and early intervention community-based family support through Children and Young People's Services Committees and Child and Family Support Networks.

Furthermore, the National Childcare Scheme includes specific arrangements for vulnerable children and families to be referred to the Scheme by certain statutory bodies. This arrangement (commonly referred to as a 'sponsor referral') will enable such children to avail of free or additional childcare under the Scheme. Under this arrangement Local Authorities can refer homeless persons with children who are homeless or moving out of homelessness to enable them access childcare services.

A key theme of the next national policy framework for children and young people is that the rights and best interests of the child should be a central consideration in all decision making which affects them. The Blueprint for the Framework, published last year, commits to a number of high level systemic actions which address how children's rights are taken into account in how government does business. These actions are based largely on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the General Measures of Implementation. They include the development of Child Rights Impact Assessments, a review of legislation for compliance with the UNCRC, the development of child budgeting, and further development of the participation of children and young people in decision making.