Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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487. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of young people in receipt of Tusla aftercare supports in each year since 2020, broken down by age cohort including 18, 19, 20, 21 and over 21 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41009/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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488. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of young people whose formal aftercare supports ceased upon reaching 21 years of age in each year since 2020; the number who subsequently re-engaged with Tusla services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41010/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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489. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla operates any discretionary mechanism allowing aftercare supports to continue beyond 21 years of age for vulnerable care-experienced young adults with complex mental health, disability, addiction, homelessness or trauma-related needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41011/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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490. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla maintains any national data regarding homelessness, emergency accommodation use, or housing instability among care leavers following the cessation of aftercare supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41012/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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491. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of care leavers known to Tusla who entered emergency accommodation, homeless services or supported housing settings within two years of leaving care in each year since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41013/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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492. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla maintains any longitudinal outcome tracking regarding care-experienced young adults following discharge from foster care, residential care or special care settings, including outcomes relating to housing, education, employment, mental health or addiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41014/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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493. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla operates any specific transition framework for young people leaving special care settings into adult or community-based living arrangements; whether any national standards apply in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41015/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. The Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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494. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of young people discharged from special care units in each year since 2020; the number who subsequently experienced placement breakdown, homelessness, emergency accommodation use, psychiatric admission or re-referral to Tusla services within 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41016/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. The Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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495. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla intends to introduce a national reporting mechanism recording the number of Emergency Care Order applications under section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991 that are granted, refused, struck out, adjourned or withdrawn. [41019/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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496. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether their Department considers the absence of centrally recorded outcome data relating to Emergency Care Order applications under section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991 to represent a governance or oversight gap. [41020/26]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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500. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether their Department receives periodic reports regarding the frequency, outcome or regional variation of Emergency Care Order applications under section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [41024/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 500 together.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is responsible for the governance and oversight of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. It does this through a range of mechanisms, including the Tusla Performance Framework, annual Performance Statements, the Oversight Agreement with Tusla and ongoing engagement with the Agency.

The Oversight Agreement sets out the respective roles and responsibilities of the Department and Tusla, including robust arrangements in relation to governance, reporting, performance monitoring and accountability at an organisational level. Within this context, issues relating to the overall operation and risks within child protection and welfare services, including the use of emergency interventions, may form part of high-level discussions.

Additionally, court oversight of the granting of care orders, including emergency care orders, is a key aspect of upholding the rights of parents and families, and ensuring that children are taken into care only where it is found that they are unlikely to receive the care or protection they need unless a Court makes a care order in respect of that child.

However, Tusla is statutorily independent in the performance of its functions under Section 8(11) of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Accordingly, the Department does not issue directions in relation to operational decision-making, including the proportionality, consistency or evidential thresholds applied in applications for Emergency Care Orders under Sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. Such decisions are a matter for Tusla, in accordance with the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991, relevant case law, and Tusla’s own policies and professional practice guidance, including Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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497. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children taken to safety under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 in each year from 2020 to 2025, broken down by Tusla area and Garda division. [41021/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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498. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla conducts any national audit, review or proportionality assessment regarding the use of emergency child removal powers under sections 12 and 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [41022/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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499. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any national guidance, benchmark or threshold framework exists governing the use of Emergency Care Order applications under section 13 of the Child Care Act 1991. [41023/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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501. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any review has been undertaken since 2020 regarding the adequacy of aftercare supports for care-experienced young adults over 21 years of age, particularly those with histories of special care, psychiatric admission, severe trauma or placement instability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41130/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Statutory responsibility for the provision of aftercare rests in the first instance with Tusla, as set out in the Child Care Act 1991 and the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. Tusla is independent in the performance of its duties and may exercise discretion in carrying out its statutory functions.

Tusla has advised that the effectiveness of aftercare supports is evaluated primarily at an individual level, namely the assessment of need, the preparation and implementation of an aftercare plan, and the ongoing review and updating of the plan where needs change or where the plan is not meeting identified need. The focus is on whether the supports set out in the plan are aligned to assessed need and are assisting the young person to progress towards improved outcomes across the key life domains..

In 2022 the Department launched a research and data programme, Care Experiences: Journeys Through the Irish Care System, which is being run in close collaboration with the Child and Family Agency, Tusla.

The Care Experiences Programme comprises a combination of primary research and administrative data analysis to examine and better understand the lives of children and young people in care and aftercare and adults who were in care as children.

As part of the Programme, the Department has commissioned two studies which specifically look at the experiences and outcomes of those who have left the care system. One study has undertaken research with care leavers and stakeholders to explore the educational and career journeys of young care leavers. A second study is looking at the experiences and outcomes of adults who left the care system ten to fifteen years ago. Reports from these studies will be published this year.

Additionally, in 2023 Tusla published the Strategic Plan for Aftercare Services for Young People and Young Adults 2023 - 2026. The Department continues to engage with Tusla on the implementation of this plan with a view to improving aftercare services for care leavers, particularly those at risk of homelessness.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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502. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether consideration has been given to extending statutory aftercare eligibility beyond 21 years of age for vulnerable care-experienced young adults with complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41131/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Officials from the Department are currently progressing the development of The National Policy Framework for Alternative Care. The Framework will aim to articulate a future and Whole of Government vision of alternative care in Ireland, including consideration of eligibility for aftercare, and will also deliver on a Programme for Government commitment in this regard.

A robust consultation process is currently underway to support the development of the National Policy Framework, through which the views of members of the public, stakeholders, key workers and carers, and people with care experience has been captured. Eligibility for aftercare services has been raised by stakeholders as an important issue. The National Policy Framework is expected to be delivered in summer 2026.