Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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434. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 497 of 28 May 2026, whether Tusla will commence collation of the number of children taken to safety under section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991, broken down by Tusla area; and whether her Department will engage with An Garda Síochána to ensure these removals are centrally recorded. [50665/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for this question regarding urgent removal to safety for children at risk in the community.

Urgent removals to safety under Section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 are undertaken by An Garda Síochána. Accordingly, questions on operational matters relating to Section 12 may be more appropriate for the Minister for Justice. Tusla works closely with An Garda Síochána in relation to urgent removals under Section 12. Tusla is statutorily independent in the performance of its functions under Section 8(11) of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013.

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality does not issue directions in relation to operational decision-making, including data collection, under Section 12 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.

Tusla is engaged in a digital transformation and data management strategy. This strategy is delivering a joined up digital and data environment that provides modern, secure, integrated systems to support the delivery of all Tusla services and improve data insights and metric development.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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435. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 314 of 15 April 2026, to commission an independent, externally conducted value-for-money review of expenditure on private residential childcare placements; and if not, the reason. [50666/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you deputy for your question.

As part of any procurement or contracting process for care services, Tusla seeks to ensure that the quality and safety of any services are to the fore to ensure the best possible outcomes for our children and young people. As part of the contracting and tendering process, value for money is also considered to ensure the best use of public money in the provision of services on behalf of the State. As value-for-money assessments are primarily built into the tendering process, they are not routinely published in a stand-alone format. Any subsequent rates set by Tusla are published or made available as part of the tendering or contracting process.

The Department is aware that Tusla follows procurement rules and its decisions are subject to internal and external controls and as such the Department has no immediate plans to commission an external review at this time.

I should add that decisions relating to the external audit of Tusla are for the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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439. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 492 of 28 May 2026, whether she will commit to establishing a longitudinal outcome tracker for care-experienced young adults covering housing, education, employment, mental health and addiction; and the expected publication date of outputs from the Care Experiences Programme. [50670/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 finalised and published shortly.

The Care Experiences Programme also involves the establishment of a national longitudinal study following young people as they transition out of care and into adulthood. Planning is underway for the study.

In addition to the Care Experiences Programme, the Department works with the Central Statistics Office, Tusla, and other relevant Departments on the Educational Attendance, Attainment and Other Outcomes of Children in Care Frontier Series. This Frontiers Series provides insights in relation to outcomes of children in care and children who left care since April 2018 and compares them with all children and young people in the same age group by analysing school, further and higher education, and employment outcomes for both groups. The 2025 release is based on administrative data provided to the CSO from Tusla, the Department of Education and Youth, the Department of Social Protection, SOLAS, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, the Higher Education Authority, POBAL, the State Examinations Commission, Student Universal Support Ireland and the Revenue Commissioners.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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440. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to Parliamentary Question No 488 of 28 May 2026, whether Tusla will commence central collation of the number of young people whose aftercare supports cease at 21 years-of-age and the number who subsequently re-engage with services. [50671/26]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for this question regarding provision of services for young people who have left care.

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.

Tusla is engaged in a digital transformation and data management strategy. This strategy is delivering a joined up digital and data environment that provides modern, secure, integrated systems to support the delivery of all Tusla services and improve data insights and metric development.

Officials from the Department are currently progressing the development of a 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.