Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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173. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Tusla has sufficient funding and resources to protect children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59240/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure you deputy, that I am dedicated to ensuring the continuity of support for vulnerable children as can be witnessed in the year on year increase in the funding provided to Tusla and believe the funding to be sufficient.

The Department continues to support Tusla in the provision of the funding and resources needed to carrying out its functions.

Tulsa’s role is to support and promote the development, welfare, education, and protection of children and young people. You will appreciate that it is an organisation that operates in a very challenging and demand led environment providing vital services to children, young people and families during difficult times in their lives and sometimes involving very complex needs.

I am committed to ensuring the continuity of support for vulnerable children as can be witnessed in the year on year increase in the funding provided to Tusla.

In Budget 2025 Tusla received funding of over €1.2 billion. I acknowledge that Tusla is experiencing increased demand across its services, such as foster care, residential care, special care, and services for separated children seeking international protection.

Budget 2026 saw Tusla receive increased funding of €165m to continue providing vital child welfare and family support services bringing its funding to €1.37 billion.

This money will ensure that Tusla can continue to manage over 100,000 referrals annually, stepping in when needed to support tens of thousands of children and families around Ireland. Tusla will continue investment in providing safe, secure family environments to vulnerable children.

Some of the examples that this funding will provide include:

• enhanced supports such as placement breakdown prevention
• expanding residential care increasing number of placements for children in need to over 800 next year
• innovative “earn and learn” social work and social care work apprenticeship courses programmes and sponsorship. This will increase the number of social workers and social care workers in Tusla to over 3,200
• the ability for all 26 special care beds to be opened and available for vulnerable children by the end of 2026. This investment will facilitate this by funding new special care staff grades, staff wellbeing initiatives and special care therapeutic supports in 2026.

It is a matter for Tusla to manage any cost pressures arising within overall available resources and to determine the best approach to managing their funding.