Questions

273. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the vacancy rate for social workers in each Tusla area, and the number of posts that have remained unfilled for more than six months. [66382/25]

275. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the escalation procedures used when a high-priority case remains unallocated for more than one week; and the number of cases escalated under these procedures in 2023 and 2024. [66384/25]

535. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total annual expenditure by Tusla on subcontracted private providers, including limited companies, engaged to provide residential or emergency care placements for children in each of the past five years. [64890/25]

536. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of limited companies currently providing care placements to Tusla under contract, the range of services delivered, and the number of children placed with each provider. [64891/25]

537. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department monitors the ownership structures, beneficial owners or corporate arrangements of limited companies contracted by Tusla to provide child care placements. [64892/25]

538. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of regulatory inspections carried out by private subcontracted providers in each of the past five years, the number of breaches identified, and the remedial actions directed. [64893/25]

539. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any private subcontracted provider has been sanctioned, suspended or removed from eligibility to receive referrals from Tusla in the past five years, and the reasons for those decisions. [64894/25]

540. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average cost per child per week for placements provided by subcontracted private companies, and the comparable cost of Tusla-operated placements delivering the same level of care. [64895/25]

541. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if Tusla has completed any value-for-money assessments on the use of private subcontractors for childcare placements, and if she will publish the assessments. [64896/25]

542. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has received any reports, internal warnings or correspondence regarding governance failures, safeguarding concerns or quality-of-care issues within subcontracted private care providers. [64897/25]

543. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of unannounced inspections carried out on subcontracted private child care providers in each of the past five years, and the inspection outcomes. [64898/25]

545. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of governance or safeguarding concerns raised about private companies providing care on behalf of the State since 2020, and the actions her Department has taken in response. [64926/25]

854. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is satisfied that sufficient coordination exists between Gardaí and Tusla in cases of children known to the agency who go missing. [47989/25]

855. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if any Garda-Tusla joint protocols are in place for missing children cases, and if these protocols were activated in the Donabate case. [47990/25]

1055. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will set out the Department’s current procedures for data quality assurance of Tusla case management systems; if she will confirm the number of incidents since 2020 in which incorrect or missing data delayed an intervention; and if she will publish the audit schedule for Tusla’s National Child Care Information System for 2025. [4…

1058. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the date Tusla first became aware of fraud convictions regarding persons connected to a service provider (details supplied); whether this information was known prior to contract awards or payment from October 2018 to December 2023; if so, the dates and records of that knowledge; and if not, the reason therefor. [48143/25]

1059. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the payments by Tusla to a service provider (details supplied) from 2018 to 2023, by year, in tabular form; the date Tusla ceased all engagement; and whether a recovery process has been initiated to recoup public monies following the convictions, including the legal basis and quantum sought. [48144/25]

1060. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the full due-diligence checklist applied by Tusla before initial engagement with a service provider (details supplied) including criminal records, national vetting bureau vetting, beneficial ownership checks, CRO directorship checks, and reference verification for directors and key personnel, indicating which checks were completed, the …

1061. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to publish Tusla’s internal compliance reviews, audits and investigation reports into a service provider (details supplied); the dates of initiation and completion; and if she will place unredacted or appropriately redacted copies in the Oireachtas Library, stating any statutory ground relied upon for non-disclosure if refused. [48146/2…

1062. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children placed with a service provider (details supplied) from 2018 to 2023, by year; whether retrospective individual risk assessments were completed for each child once falsified vetting and references were identified; the dates completed; and the number of guardians and guardians ad litem formally notified. [48147/25]

1063. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if any Tusla officials responsible for approving, monitoring or paying a service provider (details supplied) faced disciplinary action, performance management or referral to a regulator; and the actions taken, dates, and outcomes. [48148/25]

1894. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will initiate an independent operational and financial review of Tusla in light of its reported €68 million budget overrun and a 30% year-on-year increase in demand for services; and if she will outline how her Department intends to ensure continuity of support for vulnerable children and families during this period of fiscal str…

1897. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm Tusla’s projected budget overrun for 2025; to provide a breakdown of the reported €67.8million overspend across core service categories, such as separated children seeking international protection, fostering, residential care, and legal representation; and to state whether she intends to appoint an independent external review…

1935. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the definition applied by Tusla in classifying a case as “medium priority”; if she is satisfied that the current system of prioritisation adequately protects children in situations where there are repeated referrals or escalating risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45547/25]

1936. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average waiting times for the allocation of child protection cases across each Tusla area, with particular reference to Dublin South Central, and if she will provide comparative figures for 2023 and 2024. [45548/25]