Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has called on the Minister for Children to urgently address the crisis within Tusla, as referrals are due to hit 100,000 for the first time this year, according to a leading charity.
Speaking today, the Meath West TD said:
“The Children Rights Alliance is a highly respected organisation and at its conference, startling figures around the capacity of Tusla and the avalanche of cases it is going to be dealing with was laid bare.
Amongst the challenges being faced by the under fire organisation which Aontú has consistently raised concerns around, is a 500% increase in children seeking international protection who are separated from their parents.
Overall referrals have more than doubled since Tusla’s creation, and yet the numbers keep rising.
The conference was also told that while 88 per cent of the 5,780 children in State care are currently accommodated in foster arrangements, the agency is about 200 residential care beds short. That is alongside a deficit of between 250 and 300 social workers needed to meet demand.
Shockingly, following concerns I raised only last week about data integrity where Tusla information was being copied and pasted into other children’s files and risked children being taken into care without reason – also highlighted by a HIQA report – the Tusla Chief Executive has said she is not aware of this.
How can the head of the organisation not be aware of an important issue raised both by me and by HIQA on her organisation?
It is clear both that funding and reform of Tusla should be a priority for the 2026 budget, the children it is supposed to care for deserve much better and we in Aontú will continue to demand accountability and action to improve its service.”
