Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
528. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will address the practice of State agencies such as Tusla competing with families trying to buy homes on the open market; if he will commit to a review of such practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8029/22]
View answerAs Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, I am not in a position to speak for other Departments or State agencies involved in the purchase of properties on the open market.
However, I'm sure the Deputy will appreciate that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has a significant statutory responsibility to provide services for very vulnerable children and young people, often with complex needs, including arrangements for suitable accommodation while in the care of the State.
Over 90% of the approximately 6,000 children in care in this State are with foster parents. The remainder, approximately 500, require accommodation that is provided by, or funded by, Tusla.
Children in care deserve to be accommodated and cared for in the same type of homes as any other children in the state. In order to provide such accommodation for children in care Tusla may purchase properties on the housing market.
Furthermore, in the best interest of children in care, Tusla is moving away from the use of institutional settings. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has imposed strict guidelines in relation to the scale and "homeliness" of residential care.
On occasion, the duty to provide accommodation may indeed involve pursuing properties sought by other prospective buyers including families and private individuals. I am acutely aware of the difficulties faced by families and other first time buyers in securing homes in the current property market, but I would hope that those individuals would also place a high value on knowing the State has discharged its duty to provide accommodation to the approximately 500 vulnerable children in care who need it, and indeed consider this a most worthy intervention into available supply.
Finally, I would draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that Tusla is not involved in large scale purchasing of properties. In recent years the Agency has purchased or attempted to purchase very few properties.
