Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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It was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers.

As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12.

These increases mean that foster carers will receive over €1,700 additional funding per child over the course of 2024, amounting to an extra €300 per month by the end of 2024 for each child placed with them, when compared with the current allowance. The changes in Budget 2024 will bring the annual rate of the foster care allowance to an amount of €20,800 for a child under 12 and €22,100 for a child over 12.

In addition to the above, a double week of the foster care allowance will also be paid at the existing rates to foster carers before the end of 2023. I am also pleased to note that foster carers will also benefit from a double child benefit payment in respect of each qualifying foster child, which is due to paid before the end of this year.

I understand the disappointment amongst foster carers that the full increase to the foster care allowance will not come into effect until November 2024. However, given the very many competing demands on the limited funds of the State, including from across the Tusla budget and from other responsibilities within the remit of my own Department, necessary compromises had to be made. In this context, it was decided that it was necessary to introduce the increases to the foster care allowance on a phased basis over 2024. My priority was to secure a significant increase to the allowance, albeit at the cost of a phased implementation.

It is my hope that the supports contained within Budget 2024 will over time ease financial burdens on foster carers. I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to work closely with my Government colleagues and with relevant stakeholders, including Tusla, in relation to continuing to seek to improve the suite of supports foster carers can avail of. I can also give my assurance that I will continue to prioritise the foster care allowance in future budgets.