Ukraine War

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 March 2022

Thursday, 24 March 2022

Questions (2)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

2. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has been informed of calls from UNICEF for safeguarding and child protection measures to be put in place for children fleeing Ukraine; if Ireland and State agencies such as Tusla are in a position to safeguard unaccompanied minors travelling here from Ukraine and other conflict zones; and the steps that his Department is taking to ensure that child protection reporting mechanisms are in place and are accessible to non-native English or Irish speakers. [15337/22]

Oral answers (6 contributions)

Deputy Sean Sherlock

Has the Minister been informed of calls from UNICEF for safeguarding and child protection measures to be put in place for children fleeing Ukraine? Are Ireland and State agencies such as Tusla in a position to safeguard unaccompanied minors travelling to the State from Ukraine and other conflict zones? Will the Minister detail what steps his Department is taking to ensure child protection reporting mechanisms are in place and accessible to non-native English or Irish speakers?

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am aware of various organisations making calls for safeguarding and child protection measures to be put in place for children fleeing Ukraine. Tusla has a significant role in the State's response to support individuals, particularly women and children, displaced from Ukraine as a result of the war and coming into Ireland. Tusla is committed to balancing the needs of families in a humanitarian crisis with its child protection responsibilities and requirement to support families and promote the welfare of children.

Where children enter Ireland and present to emigration authorities as separated children seeking international protection, Tusla's specialist separated children social work team attend the airport or port to meet with the young person to undertake an assessment, supported as required by relevant translators. If the individual is deemed to be a separated child, the social worker will, in the first instance, see if the child can be reunited with his or her family. If it is assessed that the child needs care, he or she will be received into State care under section 4 of the Child Care Act 1991 and placed in foster care or specialised residential care. Where an immigration official has a concern about the welfare and safety of a child travelling with adults who are not his or her parents, that official will contact Tusla, which will assess the situation. Between 16 and 21 March of this year, Tusla received 22 referrals of separated children from Ukraine. A number of these were subsequently reunited with family members; as such, as of 22 March, Tusla had 13 separated children in State care. Where an individual has any child protection concerns, a referral should be made to Tusla.

In responding to any child protection concerns, Tusla's staff have access to translators, as required, and the translation of key information on the tusla.ie website is under way. The Government website, gov.ie/ukraine, already contains much information that has already been translated into Ukrainian and Russian.

Deputy Sean Sherlock

I welcome the Minister's response. I am concerned that there have been 22 referrals, but I am reassured that a designated social worker team has been assigned. Can the Minister indicate if such teams are assigned at all points of entry? There has been much talk about Dublin and Rosslare, but Ukrainian people are, to a lesser extent, coming in through Shannon and Cork airports. I wish to seek assurance that similar teams are being put in place at those points of entry as well.

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman

A team is on-site 18 hours a day at Dublin Airport. Between 85% and 90% of all Ukrainians who have come to Ireland have entered through Dublin Airport. At this stage, we do not have on-site teams at Rosslare, which is the next largest entry point, or at Shannon and the other points of entry that account for small numbers. It is a question of where to best target resources. In the coming weeks and months as the summer season approaches, it is likely that more people may be entering and particularly through Rosslare. As the Deputy is aware, a full hub is being established at Rosslare now, so I have no doubt that Tusla will examine that aspect. The organisation can designate and send a specialist team wherever it is required. My understanding, however, is that the majority of these 22 referrals have come in through Dublin Airport. It is important to reiterate that there have been 22 referrals, but 13 are in care. A significant number have been reunited with their families or family members, which is a positive development.

Deputy Sean Sherlock

The important thing for all of us is that children are being picked up by the system. That is the most important thing because it would reassure us.

I pay tribute to the people of Buttevant in my native Cork, who wrapped their arms around approximately 50 Ukrainians who have come into the community there in recent days. Communities are rallying to support families and the effort there has been tremendous. If we were looking for a model of community response, the Buttevant experience would be an excellent exemplar for such a model. The Department of Social Protection and other statutory agencies are beginning to respond to the needs of people in Buttevant. I take that town as an example of other similar communities throughout the country. I ask that Tusla would make itself known to those types of efforts to ensure that where children need psychological services, for example, that such needs would be picked up, even where those children are accompanied by parents or family.

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman

Tusla is acutely aware of its responsibility in this matter, particularly because this is a crisis having such a detrimental impact on children. Bernard Gloster was on "Morning Ireland" this morning. I did not catch his interview, but he has been in regular contact with me and my Department on these issues. As the Deputy said, we and Tusla have moved quickly to address the situation of the 22 children referred to. The Ukrainian authorities have also written to us on the broader issue of the use of adoption during a wartime situation and to ensure that wartime is not used as an opportunity for adoption laws to be taken advantage of. We will be sending a strong official response to say that we recognise that that is the case. The protection of children is, therefore, very much a focus. I have several other questions on Ukraine later and I can probably use those opportunities to outline more details in this respect.

I join with Deputy Sherlock in paying tribute to the great work being done in his constituency and communities all over the country. I had an opportunity to see some of the amazing work being done in Blanchardstown yesterday. The national effort is absolutely spectacular.