Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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181. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether it is Government policy to phase out, regularise, or continue the use of unregulated special emergency arrangements by Tusla; the timeline for any legislative or regulatory change; and the reason such settings do not fall under the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority, despite accommodating children in State care. [29220/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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While Tusla, supported by the Department, are working to reduce reliance on SEAs, the Agency is facing significant and ongoing challenges in sourcing appropriate placements for children in the care of the State. This is due to a number of factors, including difficulties in recruiting staff, the complexity of the presentation of some children, and the unprecedented number of Separated Children Seeking International Protection (SCSIP) requiring Tusla services. In 2025, child protection and welfare referrals to Tusla rose by 10%, to over 106,000 , as compared to over 89,000 in the same period in 2024.

Both Tusla and I as Minister share a common aim to meet the needs of all children in mainstream alternative care placements, and to reduce Tusla's operation of Special Emergency Arrangements (SEAs). I have invested significantly in Tusla to this end.

In 2026, Tusla's overall funding was raised to €1.37 billion, an increase of 14% or €177 million compared to 2025, which was itself a year of record investment. This increase includes an additional €53 million for mainstream residential care. This additional funding will provide for the full year costs of residential places opened in 2025, in addition to 30 new residential places over the course of 2026. Tusla’s capital budget has also been expanded to €35 million in 2026, which represents growth of 100% since 2024.

Tusla has been working to invest in increasing residential care capacity and reduce reliance on SEAs. Tusla’s residential care house purchase and refurbishment programme is ongoing in 2026 and will continue throughout the lifetime of the National Development Plan. 9 houses were purchased in 2025 with a further 9 houses planned for 2026. This capital investment seeks to rebalance provision in favour of care provided directly by the State in line with Tusla’s strategies, Ministerial priorities and Programme for Government commitments.

Where Tusla is required to place a child in a Special Emergency Arrangement (SEA), the Agency has advised that it follows specific safeguarding procedures. Tusla has developed Standard Operating Procedures for these placements, which detail extensive checks that any prospective SEA provider must adhere to, including in relation to records management and staff vetting. Tusla has advised that all SEA providers are vetted by its Central Compliance Unit (CCU), which ensures that Garda vetting and appropriate qualifications are in order before any child is placed with a prospective provider. The CCU also carries out spot checks to validate staff on active duty. Tusla has said that young people in SEAs are also visited weekly by a social worker or delegated person to have their voice heard and check on the care being provided.

As part of the process of reducing reliance on SEAs, Tusla has advised that its Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Service (ACIMS) has met with each SEA provider to support transition of these providers to registered regulated services.

HIQA carries out announced and unannounced inspections of statutory Children’s Residential Centres. HIQA carries out these inspections against the identified Regulations and Standards. Tusla is the statutory regulator of Private and Voluntary Children’s Residential Centres, and is therefore responsible for the registration and inspection of these centres in accordance with the relevant regulations, standards, and the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991.

The record level of investment in Tusla outlined above will support the Agency to increase capacity in its mainstream services and to reduce its reliance on SEAs, within the context of the ongoing high level of demand for its services. Tusla plans to invest a total of €286 million in expanding mainstream residential care in 2026, increasing the number of placements for children in need to over 800.