Written answers
Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Child Safety
Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1078. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider a unit in between residential care and special care to support children and young people as previously existed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40238/26]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is an independent body operating under the aegis of the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Tusla has statutory responsibility for the delivery of Special Care, Residential Care, and Foster Care in Ireland. Foster care remains the preferred care setting for children in the care of the State. However, steps have been taken to increase capacity in Special Care and Residential Care, including the development of step-down placements from Special Care.
Special care units are secure, residential facilities for children in care aged between 11 and 17 years. They are detained under a High Court care order for a short-term period of stabilisation when their behaviour poses a real and substantial risk of harm to their life, health, safety, development or welfare.
Tusla has advised that some children have complex needs and require additional levels of therapeutic support outside of the special care setting. €26m has been allocated to special care in Budget 2026, an increase of over €6m on Budget 2025. This additional funding includes €1.3m to provide an enhanced multi-disciplinary therapeutic service to children on the edge of special care, in special care, and transitioning from a special care environment.
A significant development has also been the establishment, in May 2025, of a new multi-agency special care committee, with representation from the Health Services Executive, An Garda Síochána, and EPIC. This group has a critical role in reviewing referrals to and discharges from Special Care. Its focus is on ensuring that:
- The voice of the young person is central to decision-making,
- All alternatives to Special Care are fully explored prior to any application to deprive a young person of their liberty, and
- Robust interagency care planning is in place to support both admission and timely discharge.
Tusla has also been allocated €188m capital funding for 2026-2030. In line with the National Development Plan, €17m is the indicative allocation for special care. This funding will support Tusla in upgrading, renovating or purchasing special care and step down units.
Tusla have advised that four additional Special Care step down beds are scheduled to open in 2026, including the expansion to an existing step-down service. A further step-down service is planned to open in 2027. These centres are designed to support more timely and appropriate discharge from Special Care, particularly for young people with complex needs who require structured but less restrictive environments.
Officials in the Department are currently developing a National Policy Framework for Alternative Care. This will deliver on a commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a national plan on alternative care, including articulating a long-term vision for alternative care in Ireland.
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