Topics / Children in Care

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Children in Care

358 questions from 46 TDs, between 5 February 2025 and 17 September 2026.

358
questions
353 written, 5 oral
46
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
departments asked

Questions per month

The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.

Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
MonthQuestions
January 20250
February 202519
March 202516
April 20258
May 20259
June 20252
July 202523
August 20250
September 20258
October 20250
November 202523
December 202511
January 202624
February 202619
March 202619
April 202616
May 202677
June 202652
July 202629
August 20260
September 20263
October 20260

Who asks, by party

The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.

  • Aontú53 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil16 from 7 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael15 from 9 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party16 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent48 from 6 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland136 from 1 TD · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party24 from 3 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity3 from 2 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin37 from 11 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 136
  2. 49
  3. 20
  4. 18
  5. 18
  6. 16
  7. 12
  8. 10

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Claire Kerrane Written 16 Jul 2025 · to Children
202. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will include additional ring-fenced funding to an organisation (details supplied) in Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39877/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh Written 10 Jul 2025 · to Children
298. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will advocate for an increase in the fostering allowance in line with the cost of living for budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38336/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh Written 10 Jul 2025 · to Health
320. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to allow foster children to be included in the dental scheme beyond primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38337/25]
Claire Kerrane Written 1 Jul 2025 · to Children
657. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to extend the number of therapeutic hubs providing support to children in care across the country; whether more funding will be provided to Tusla to grow the number of therapeutic hubs and to resource them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35999/25]
Joe Cooney Written 24 Jun 2025 · to Children
737. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of social workers currently working within the Tusla 'children in care' team in County Clare; the numbers of children placed with each of those social workers; if any of the three current social worker vacancies, details from Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 17 June 2025, are from within the children-in-care team in Tusla in Co…
Peadar Tóibín Written 17 Jun 2025 · to Children
98. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department conducts analysis, or monitors, the reports produced by the National Review Panel, regarding the deaths of children in State care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32445/25]
Thomas Gould Written 20 May 2025 · to Children
757. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that foster carers receive a cut in payment when a child turns 18, even if the child is still in full-time schooling; and if she will consider extending the full payment to children who are finishing school. [25373/25]
Roderic O'Gorman Written 20 May 2025 · to Children
767. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of HIQA inspections conducted on foster care services annually since 2019, across each of the 17 Tusla service areas, including the key findings and areas identified for improvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25725/25]
Roderic O'Gorman Written 20 May 2025 · to Children
768. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps taken in response to recent HIQA reports highlighting deficiencies in the governance and oversight of foster care services; the means by which the Department is working with Tusla to ensure compliance with national child protection standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25726/25]
Mark Wall Written 14 May 2025 · to Children
170. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the number of publicly provided residential care places for children, available in each year from 2020 to 2024, and the number available in 2025, in tabular form; the additional number of regulated places added in each year, either public or private; the plans for adding new public places in 2025; the additional funding in place…
Mark Wall Written 14 May 2025 · to Children
171. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated average capital cost and current expenditure operating cost respectively of providing each new publicly provided residential care place for children; to provide a breakdown of staffing costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24610/25]
Mark Wall Written 14 May 2025 · to Children
172. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans in place to phase out the use of special emergency arrangements by Tusla; the progress made over the past year on achieving this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24611/25]
Mark Wall Written 14 May 2025 · to Children
173. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in foster care arrangements in each year from 2020 to 2024, and to date in 2025; the number of households offering foster care in each of those years, and the increase or decrease in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24612/25]
Mark Wall Written 14 May 2025 · to Children
174. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently in special emergency arrangements; the number in SEAs as of 31 April 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24613/25]
Liam Quaide Oral 1 May 2025 · to Social
82. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the social welfare supports available to young people leaving State care, who may be at risk of experiencing homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21565/25]
Peadar Tóibín Oral 29 Apr 2025 · to Children
93. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in State care who have reported being sexually abused in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025. [20961/25]
John Connolly Written 29 Apr 2025 · to Children
108. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently residing in special care placements; and to seek the number of children, subject to a special care order of the High Court, where there is no placement available in special care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20985/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 29 Apr 2025 · to Children
117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children reported missing from State care in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025, and the total number of those who have never been located. [20958/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 29 Apr 2025 · to Children
121. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children in State care currently in special emergency arrangements in the State. [20959/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 29 Apr 2025 · to Children
154. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount of money paid by the State to the providers of special emergency arrangements for accommodating children in State care, in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025. [20960/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 8 Apr 2025 · to Children
832. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of unaccompanied minors currently in State care; the age range of these children; the length of time they have been in Ireland; and the nationality. [17261/25]
Mark Ward Written 8 Apr 2025 · to Children
834. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the capacity of Oberstown Children Detention Campus; the number of young people detained there in each month of 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17352/25]
Mattie McGrath Written 1 Apr 2025 · to Children
634. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children currently in residential care at a location in Tipperary (details supplied); the capacity within the facility; the number of staff assigned to the facility; the full list of activities that take place on campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15090/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 26 Mar 2025 · to Children
176. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who have gone missing while under the care of Tusla, in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [14266/25]
Peadar Tóibín Written 26 Mar 2025 · to Children
177. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who have died while either in the care of the State or while known to child protection services, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025, in tabular form, including cause of death. [14267/25]