Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
37. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he considers the €25 increase in the foster carer's payment announced in budget 2024, after a period of 14 years of no increases, to be reasonable, given inflation rates during that period, and the continuous decrease in the number of foster carers year after year. [46364/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra44. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reasons the rise in the allowance for foster carers, as outlined in budget 2024, has been delayed to November 2024, after the next scheduled budget announcement, and if he will work to bring that rise forward to earlier in the year. [48533/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 44 together.
Foster carers play a vital role in the care of our most vulnerable children. The placement of a child in foster care is the preferred option for children who cannot live with their family of origin. It enables children in State care to live in a safe, secure, and stable home environment.
As outlined in Budget 2024, from 1st January 2024 the rates of the foster care allowance will increase by €25 per week, up to €350 per week for children aged under 12 and €377 per week for those over 12. The foster care allowance will be further increased in November 2024, up to €400 per week for children aged under 12 and €425 per week for those over 12.
These increases mean that foster carers will receive over €1,700 additional funding per child over the course of 2024. In 2025 this means that Foster Carers will receive an additional €3,900 over the course of the year.
In addition to the above, a double week of the foster care allowance will also be paid at the existing rates to foster carers before the end of 2023. I am also pleased to note that foster carers will, addition to the double payment in the allowance, also benefit from a double child benefit payment in respect of each qualifying foster child, which is due to paid before the end of this year.
I can inform the Deputy that as of June 2023 approximately 90% of children in care were being cared for by foster carers. While this record compares favourably internationally, I am aware that there is an ongoing difficulty in maintaining the number of foster carers in Ireland in line with demand for these placements.
While the overall number of children in care has fallen by approximately 11% over the past 6 years, the number of foster carers has comparatively decreased even further, by some 14% over the same period. This trend has contributed to a reduction in foster care placements as a proportion of all children in care.
In this context, it was a priority of mine to secure a meaningful increase to the foster care allowance in this year’s Budget in order to support the vital role being carried out by foster carers.
I understand the disappointment amongst foster carers that the full increase to the foster care allowance will not come into effect until November 2024. However, given the very many competing demands on the limited funds of the State, including from across the Tusla budget and from other responsibilities within the remit of my own Department, it was decided that it was necessary to introduce the increases to the foster care allowance on a phased basis over 2024. My priority was to secure a significant increase to the allowance. We have achieved this, albeit through a phased implementation.
It is my hope that the supports specifically targeted at foster carers, taken together with the wider package of supports provided for in Budget 2024, will over time ease financial burdens on foster carers. I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to work closely with my Government colleagues and with relevant stakeholders, including Tusla, in relation to continuing to seek to improve the suite of supports for foster carers. I can also give the House my assurance that I will continue to prioritise the foster care allowance in future budgets.
