Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2016
25. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department is considering offering care to some of the unaccompanied minors who were removed from the camp at Calais recently; the arrangements that are under consideration for these children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33534/16]
View answerWhat action is the Department taking in respect of children who were living in the Calais camp? The Minister will be aware that it is the will of the Dáil that Ireland provide accommodation for 200 such children.
As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am deeply concerned by the plight of the children who were in the Calais camp, particularly the many unaccompanied minors who were at the front line of this terrible situation. I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to review its ability to provide safety, protection and hope to greater numbers of unaccompanied children and assess the additional resources that may be needed. This work is ongoing. Options to expand our existing emergency and humanitarian supports for these young people who have no family or relatives form part of this review. While I have not had many discussions with Tusla, I have held discussions with the Immigrant Council of Ireland and Cabinet colleagues to review this country's response to the overall migrant crisis, including recent events in Calais.
It is important to emphasise that we already provide significant assistance to unaccompanied minors who arrive in Ireland on an unplanned basis. In the past five years, Tusla has taken an annual average of 100 referrals of unaccompanied children seeking asylum, with approximately 70 of these being received into care annually. Thus far this year, 104 unaccompanied children have been referred to Tusla services, of whom 58 remain in care. Tusla has a dedicated social work team for separated children seeking asylum, which provides support, assessment and care to children arriving alone in Ireland. Approximately 30% of children referred are reunited with family members or are found to be over 18 years of age.
Under the Irish refugee protection programme, Tusla has made an initial commitment to relocating 20 unaccompanied minors from camps in Greece in 2016-17. Staff have visited centres in Greece and are currently in Athens to continue the intake process for unaccompanied young people aged 16 and 17 years who have indicated a desire to be brought to Ireland. I am eager to expand our ability to make a greater commitment to these most vulnerable children.
I speak for many when I say I find it impossible to understand the reason the Government has been so slow in accepting unaccompanied child migrants and migrants in general. The Minister may be aware that when I was Tánaiste I reached an agreement with the Taoiseach that Ireland would accept approximately 4,000 people and would have the services in place to facilitate this number.
The plight of migrant children, many of whom have experienced extraordinary difficulties on the journey to Europe, speaks to everybody. I cannot understand the constant references to reviews and talking to people. While I accept the Minister's bona fides in this matter, why is it necessary to engage in constant reviews with Tusla?
Many children are in need of protection. I acknowledge that many of them have never heard of Ireland and that this may be an issue because most of them want to reach the United Kingdom. If children are brought to Ireland, will they be facilitated, to the greatest possible degree, in foster care? Will the Minister provide a guarantee that they will not be placed, alone and friendless, in direct provision centres and will not be institutionalised?
I was aware of and acknowledge Deputy Burton's work on this issue and I appreciate her frustration. I, too, am frustrated and I have expressed concern about the slow pace of delivery of the programme to resettle 4,000 refugees. While the programme has made a slow start, I understand from the Tánaiste that it is increasing in rapidity.
With regard to my responsibilities, as I indicated, Tusla staff are on the ground in Greece this week. The age criteria that will apply to the children Ireland will receive have been changed to facilitate accepting older children who wish to come here, the number of whom appears to be increasing.
Perhaps I should have been a little clearer in my earlier response. I was not engaging in reviews with Tusla but examining with Tusla how we could develop capacity and what resources would be required to take additional unaccompanied minors.
Will the Minister outline the specific steps she has taken on this issue? If we are to assist children and focus on older teenagers, as the Minister appeared to suggest, speed will be needed because 16 and 17 year olds will soon become adults. According to the census, 11% or 12% of the population are immigrants who are not originally from Ireland. Many of the nationalities represented in the Calais camp have significant communities in this country. There are, therefore, many possibilities in this regard.
We know from the work done by various UN organisations that it is possible to do this quite well and to provide children who come here with a basis for education. Many of our schools have done brilliantly on this, absorbing and integrating the children quickly and getting them to leaving certificate level.
What is the reason for the slowness in this case? While State resources are not unlimited, we have many. This involves 200 children in particularly difficult circumstances over a period of time. What commitment will the Minister give that this will be addressed within, say, the next three months?
I have already acknowledged and agree with the Deputy on the pace of this process. I have also indicated that, unbeknownst to the wider public, in any one year Tusla receives 100 unaccompanied children. That is already going on, in addition to the other commitments the previous Government worked on and negotiated. It is important to put that on the record.
To increase the capacity again, there are several items which need to be put in place, whether it is accommodation, lodging or additional social workers. That takes a certain amount of time. I am aware of the reality, as well as the concern of the people and of the House to be able to do something as quickly as possible.
