I have discussed this with the Deputy on a number of occasions and we are absolutely agreed on the importance of foster carers. There is appreciation of and agreement on that across the House. Foster carers play a vital role in enabling our most vulnerable children to live in a safe, secure and stable home environment. While eligibility for the State pension, as the Deputy said, is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection, I know this is a matter of genuine concern for foster carers. The programme for Government 2025 introduced a number of commitments relating to foster care. This included commitments to examine and develop a pension solution for foster carers in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to vulnerable children in our society. I have raised this matter directly with my colleague the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Calleary, and can confirm that subsequent engagement will now occur between the relevant departmental officials. This engagement will occur in accordance with my ongoing commitment to support foster carers and within the context of the related programme for Government commitments, which I have already outlined. Work is under way within the Department on the development of a national policy framework for alternative care, which will deliver on a separate programme for Government commitment to develop a national plan on alternative care. It is in this context that we are also engaging with the Minister. Officials of the Department are developing the framework on the basis of evidence and robust consultation with stakeholders, care-experienced individuals and the public. I am informed that the consultation process has already included a number of constructive engagements with foster carers and their representative bodies. My officials and I will continue to listen carefully to what they say, including in relation to eligibility for the State pension and other key matters. I will continue to work closely with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and other Government colleagues regarding the progression of these programme for Government commitments. Significant work has already occurred in relation to supporting foster carers. It included increasing the foster care allowance by 21% in 2024, the introduction of the initial placement payment in 2025 and the announcement by the Department of Social Protection that foster carers are now eligible for the back-to-school footwear and clothing allowance, also in June 2025.
Sentiment score: 0.47
There is a commitment in the programme for Government. What is really helpful to us as well is the public consultation we are having. It is a great framework for us to engage with the Department of Social Protection regarding this issue because it is an issue that is consistently raised by foster carers themselves. We need to do all we can to secure the foster carers who are involved in providing care to children but also to attract more into this space. I know it is one of one of the key issues, if not the key issue, for foster carers but I also have to point to other changes that have been introduced. Foster carers now receive additional funds between €3,796 and €3,900 per year compared with the previous allowance, depending on the age of the child. Foster carers now receive a weekly payment of €400 for children under 12 and €425 for children over 12. A revised mileage payment scheme is in place, while the cumulative weekly travel distance to qualify for these payments has been reduced from 300 km to 250 km. In June 2025, the Department introduced the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, while Tusla funding of €152 million will be used to maintain and grow foster care capacity and expand the foster care peer support programme and foster care recruitment teams.
Sentiment score: 0.38
The Deputy and I are not in disagreement on this. I have always been very clear that the work and service provided by foster carers is second to none. I have also been very clear that it is the optimal option for children who need security and support. In that respect, my Department is doing all it can to ensure that measures are in. I have already referenced the increases in the allowances and mileage. To be honest, it will never be enough to acknowledge the work that is done. I know this is the key issue for foster carers, so we will continue to engage with the Department of Social Protection. The current consultation is really helpful to us because it will inform alternative care policy. I acknowledge the openness of the Minister for Social Protection to engaging with me and he has discussed the issue with me on a number of occasions. It is in the programme for Government. There are always complexities of which we must be mindful but as as a core objective, I absolutely agree with the points made by the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.46
Like the Deputy, the Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and ensuring they receive the right services at the right time. That is the bottom line. I am pleased to say that progress has been made in this regard. Over the past few years, the roadmap for service improvement has provided for a series of actions being progressed to improve access to children's disability network teams, CDNTs. These teams provided support to 44,739 children with complex needs as at the end of December 2025. The national CDNT waiting list has reduced by 43%. However, I also recognise that there is still more to do. The HSE national service plan has committed to a further 25% reduction in 2026. To this end, the HSE is developing the 2026 to 2027 service improvement plan for disability services for children and young people, further advancing the work begun under the roadmap. In budget 2026 alone, more than €3.8 billion was allocated for disability services, which represents an overall increase of €1.8 billion since 2020. This is a phenomenal first-time level of investment by Government. The Government has provided funding for additional posts to CDNTs and to shorten waiting lists and waiting times in recent years. This includes further investment in budget 2026 to fund 150 posts for CDNTs. In addition, placements on CDNTs will continue to be expanded alongside the continued expansion in the number of places in higher education to develop the pipeline of future therapists. While it is important to mention that good progress has been made, it is equally important to acknowledge that there are delays accessing supports and services. I am pleased to say, however, that significant activities are under way, both legislative and operational, to improve access to both assessments and therapies for children who need them. The HSE is developing a single point of access referral model, which will ensure that children are referred to the appropriate healthcare service, whether that is primary care, disability or child and adolescent mental health services, at an early stage. As a result, children will not be put on multiple waiting lists or passed from one service to another. Targeted amendments to Part 2 of the Disability Act have been developed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the assessment of need process. This will result in a more streamlined process, which over time will help to reduce waiting times for assessment of need. A total of €20 million was also allocated under budget 2026 to continue the targeted wait list initiative.
Sentiment score: 0.32
Ar an gcéad dul síos, tá sé mar aidhm agam féin agus ag an Roinn áiseanna agus seirbhísí a chur chun cinn, agus tá níos mó airgid againn inniu ná mar a bhí riamh chun é sin a dhéanamh. The primary aim and objective of this Government and this Department is to ensure that we have the funding in place. We have a significant increase in funding this year - greater than we have ever had - to provide the services Deputy Heneghan referenced. I do not know the specifics of the case he referenced here as it is an individual case, but I am happy to take the details from him later and to revert to him. We have €3.8 billion available to us now, which is a €1.8 billion increase since 2020. It will not solve all of the issues; money does not always solve the issues. It is a combination of different things. I appreciate the points Deputy Ó Murchú raised around the assessment of need. He knows that there work is under way to advance the assessment and to streamline the service to make it more accessible to people. There is also the single point of contact and the HSE's autism protocol. A total of 45% of all cases in the first nine months of last year had an autism diagnosis. This separate pathway under the HSE will be helpful as well.
Sentiment score: 0.19
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Aontaím leis ó thaobh an sárobair a rinne Finian McGrath le linn a thréimhse anseo mar Aire Stáit agus an méid atá fós ar siúl aige chun na ceisteanna seo a fhreagairt. In relation to the issues the Deputy raised regarding St. Michael's House and so many others, I want to recognise the sterling work of all the institutions the Deputy mentioned. I have met with representatives of many of them. I had a meeting last year with a group representing all of the organisations regarding funding issues that they faced. It was for that reason that we really pushed ourselves to move forward in terms of a budget that would significantly support all of these different organisations that are doing great work on the ground. People with disabilities being at the centre, in terms of raising issues and the implementation of policies, is the entirety of the national human rights strategy for disabled people. There is the implementation group that sits on different committees and the delivery committee is chaired by An Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin.
Sentiment score: 0.12
I appreciate the Deputy raising this important question. I deeply appreciate the work performed by section 56 organisations and I would like to thank their staff and volunteers for the commitment and support they are giving in improving people’s lives. The Department welcomes the auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme launched in January 2026. The auto-enrolment system provides that all employees earning in excess of €20,000 and aged between 23 and 60 will be enrolled onto a new pension system and will not have to rely on the State pension alone on retirement. As such, it is of considerable benefit to many employees in section 56 organisations. The auto-enrolment retirement savings authority will have responsibility for employer compliance, with Revenue providing support by supplying payroll data for identification and enrolment purposes. All employers are required to comply with the legislation underpinning MyFutureFund, regardless of their status or funding arrangements. This requirement applies equally to employers, including where employees are on short-term contracts or working multiple part-time jobs. MyFutureFund will be central to helping people increase their financial security in their retirement years. Agencies, organisations and charities that will be covered by the new auto-enrolment scheme are generally funded under section 56 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. These organisations receive a portion of their funding from Tusla to deliver services and generally have other income streams. Funding is provided to these organisations by Tusla through the grant process and the level of service provided is generally covered within the terms of a service level agreement. These organisations are independent entities and, as such, employment contracts and obligations - for example, auto-enrolment, pay, pensions and all of that - are matters between the employer and their employees. As these staff are not public sector employees, responsibility for meeting obligations under the new auto-enrolment scheme rests entirely with their respective employers.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I want to second and indeed third what the Deputy had to say there about these organisations. They are really important organisations doing sterling work right across our communities, north, south, east and west. The work they do, and the breadth of it, is quite phenomenal. They are very much rooted in community and service to the community. I do not for one minute dispute that but I have to be clear on the funding mechanism. Tusla provides funding to many of these organisations, some of which the Deputy has referenced. In many respects, Tusla is providing part of their funding. They are funded through other means as well. Essentially, the issue here is that all of these organisations the Deputy referenced are independent entities. Tusla is not the employer. The relationship is between the organisation and the employee, that is, as employer and employee. Tusla is not in that space and it is important that we have clarity around that.
Sentiment score: 0.15
I want to be clear. I do not for one minute disagree with the points the Deputy made about the valuable work of these organisations. They are an integral service to communities and I understand the importance of that. I have to be clear: in the delivery of that work they are funded by Tusla. They are not employed by Tusla. There is a separate relationship in existence there between the employer and the employee, or whatever type of contract is in existence there. These organisations are entirely independent entities responsible for the care of their own staff or whoever is delivering on their behalf. It is important that we recognise that. There are obligations in terms of auto-enrolment. It is very important. We are all agreed here on the importance of the auto-enrolment system but that must be catered for in the context of an employer-employee relationship. Tusla is not the employer. In regard to the broader funding being provided by Tusla, there has been a significant increase in funding by my Department to Tusla to increase the provision of services which, again, supports these organisations. That is the type of relationship that exists.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I appreciate that the Deputy is raising a significant issue about the important work that is carried out every day by social workers, social care workers and foster carers. With the prevailing high rates of employment and the range of opportunities across the economy, there is a great deal of competition for and challenge in attracting qualified and expert staff to carry out social work in the health, education and justice sectors, as well as in the area of child welfare and protection. The challenges in child welfare and protection are not unique and they apply right across sectors like health, education and justice. Notwithstanding that, we have to address this. The Department has supported the development of various schemes and programmes in Tusla to improve its recruitment and retention of social workers and social care workers. New programmes are expected to increase the number of annual social work graduates by 20%. That is a significant uplift, year on year, in the number of those who graduate specifically from social work and social care programmes. The initiatives being taken by Tusla include: the introduction of a four-year tertiary degree, co-designed and co-delivered by Cork Education and Training Board and University College Cork; and the establishment of a two-year apprenticeship programme leading to a master’s or postgraduate diploma in social work, developed by an industry-led consortium. Tusla accepted 36 apprentices under the scheme in 2024 and took on a further 77 apprentices in 2025, with further expansion in 2026. I would like to see that move closer to 100 in 2026, if at all possible, but we will see how it goes. The Department funds and supports Tusla’s recruitment and retention of social care workers through various Tusla initiatives and programmes. This includes a number of measures. Tusla offers incentives to existing staff to undertake training to become social care workers. Tusla offers a relocation and visa sponsorship package for social care staff from the Philippines and South Africa to take up contracts within Tusla special care. Tusla is in the process of developing a new internal training school to support social care candidates to develop the skills necessary to work in Tusla’s residential and special care centres. Tusla is also in the process of developing a new internal training school to support social care candidates to develop the skills necessary to work in Tusla's residential and special care centres.
Sentiment score: 0.55
In terms of foster care, we have had a very good discussion on the role and importance of foster carers and the contribution they make in terms of child welfare. I can inform the Deputy that 198 new foster carers came on stream in 2025, a 9% increase. Notwithstanding that, I want to do more in this space. I also recognise the demand for foster carers is increasing. We have a number of new children coming into the system every single year and it is ever increasing. However, it is positive to be able to say that 198 new people came on board, a 9% increase over the same period in 2024. That is a positive. I absolutely hear what the Deputy is saying in terms of the need for an increased number of social workers and social care workers. It is important we have the mechanisms that will allow for that. It is projected that there will be a 20% increase year on year in terms of these schemes. I particularly want to congratulate the further and higher education sector for initiatives in this area. The link between Cork ETB and UCC, for example, is producing a significant number of social workers for us.
Sentiment score: 0.40
We are all very clear about the importance of having the appropriate staff and of having a sufficiency of staff in place to support children. I can share with the Deputy examples of cases that are so complex they require a 2:1 staffing level. That means 14 staff being made available for the care of one child. That is the right and proper thing to do and that is what I would want to have in place. I am just making the point that such are the complexities that, at times, a huge number of staff have to be dedicated - and rightly so - to one child. In some instances, 14 staff for one child is the required staffing level. Notwithstanding that, the Deputy speaks of a plan and I am very happy to send on a formal reply in terms of all of the different levers that we are pulling. I am a particular fan of the apprenticeship model, for example, because it means those who go through the apprenticeship system stay within the Tusla family, as it were. That proves significant.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I thank the Deputy for her question. While the operation of special care and the provision of special care beds is the statutory responsibility of Tusla, the Department is actively engaging with Tusla in relation to the challenges impacting special care. There are four young people currently subject to a special care order who are awaiting placement in a special care unit. I am advised by Tusla that as of 16 February 2026 there are 15 young people in special care, with additional staffing of 2:1 required for at least one young person due to complex presentation. This means an additional seven staff, or 14 in total, are required to meet the needs of that one child. This is the equivalent of an additional special care bed. Tusla has indicated that difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff are the primary limiting factor in capacity in opening special care beds. Officials from the Department continue to work with Tusla to support it in addressing the staffing shortages in special care provision. A new grade and pay scale for special care was sanctioned in 2024 in an effort to increase staff numbers and has been advertised since January 2025. This new Tusla special care worker grade offers approximately 20% higher pay at the top of scale compared to the social care worker grade. The Department has also provided a substantial budget increase for Tusla in 2026, rising by 14% to €1.37 billion. This represents the fourth consecutive year in which Tusla’s budget has exceeded €1 billion. In addition, €26 million has been allocated for special care in budget 2026. This represents an increase of over €6 million on budget 2025. This investment will increase capacity and enhance provision, including funding for the new special care staff grade, staff well-being initiatives and additional therapeutic supports. Tusla has been allocated €188 million in capital funding for 2026 to 2030. Reflecting the priorities in the national development plan, €17 million is the indicative allocation for special care in Tusla’s capital plan for 2026 to 2030. This will support Tusla in upgrading, renovating or purchasing special care and step-down units. In this context, the expansion of dedicated step-down provision from special care is progressing.
Sentiment score: 0.60
The Deputy attended the briefing with me provided by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on the north Kerry CAMHS report. He will appreciate that it is not in my remit; it is within the remit of Deputy Butler. It is my understanding that she will make further announcements as regards the extension of the look-back and issues around compensation. The Deputy will respect that it is appropriate that she as the line Minister of State does that. On the points raised by Deputy Kerrane, there are so many complexities in this instance. As I previously referenced with Deputy Ó Murchú, there is one instance where 14 staff are required for the care of one child. It is right that we provide those 14 staff but in normal instances that is two beds being required, such are the complexities. There have been significant improvements, such as the new pay grade with a 20% increase. It has yielded 27 additional people being recruited. Significant recruitment is taking place abroad in South Africa and the Philippines which is also garnering success. The work continues.
Sentiment score: 0.24
I want to be clear, in terms of the financial resources being made available, that €26 million has been provided for special care, with an increase of €6 million specifically in terms of the provision of beds. The financial resources are in place for staffing. There is an absolute challenge in staffing which is not unique to us. It has already been referenced that it is in other disciplines as well. There are new programmes. I outlined to the previous Deputy the types of the increases in places, in-house training for staff so they can step up into special care roles, and recruitment from abroad. There is a whole suite of efforts being made. It is an absolute priority. There is an absolute commitment that all of those recommendations for any Department or agency will be addressed and implemented in full.
Sentiment score: 0.26