Sharon Keogan Demands Transparency on Ukrainian Minors

Thank you. This subject might be of interest to the children. There might be some unaccompanied miners there from Ukraine here this morning. So we're now over three years into the largest displacement crisis Europe has seen since Second World War. Ireland rightly so opened its doors, but opening doors is not the same as ensuring safety. And safety begins with knowing who is in our care. So I asked the Minister how many unaccompanied miners from Ukraine have been taken into care of Tusla since March 2022, and of those, how many are currently in aftercare? These are not abstract figures. These are vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have fled war, trauma and separation from family. We must be honest with ourselves. The Irish state has a troubling history when it comes to institutional care. With last week's murder of Vadim Davianco in Dunhamide, it has been made harrowing clear to us that what happens when oversight is weak and accountability is absent, we cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. I'm not here to cast aspersions on Tusla staff, many of whom work under immense pressure, but I'm here to demand transparency. Because without transparency, there is no trust. And without trust, there is no safeguarding. I want the Minister to delineate clearly what we know and what we don't know. What are our knowns? What are our unknowns? And what systems are in place to ensure that our blind spots are actively sought out and addressed? We know from parliamentary replies that as of January 2025, 33 separated children seeking international protection were missing from Tusla care, that some of these children may have left the country to join family elsewhere. But we also know that data on sexual exploitations risk is not centrally collated. That is a known unknown. That is unacceptable. The Justice Committee was recently informed that it is expecting 1,200 minor asylum seekers to be cared for by Tusla by the end of this year, and that over half of these are from Ukraine. This number is likely to increase. A large number of these are 17-year-old boys who likely leave due to the fact that men between 18 and 60 are forbidden by martial law to leave Ukraine. And by leaving at 17, they stand a chance by avoiding conscription. That is why the question of aftercare is especially important, as many may have to enter the aftercare system within months of arriving. We know that Tusla has a dedicated team for separated children and that foster care, residential settings and pledged family accommodations are among the options considered. But what proportion of Ukrainian minors are in each category? What proportion are designated social workers? What proportion are in aftercare? These are basic questions and yet they remain unanswered. Minister, we cannot protect what we cannot see. We cannot safeguard children whose whereabouts legal status and care arrangements are unclear. And we cannot claim to be a compassionate country if we do not treat these children with the same rigour and care we would demand for our own. How many are housed in special emergency arrangements? How many are in each room? Do they have their own room? Are the staff guards vetted? So I ask again, give us the numbers, give us the breakdown and give us the plan. Because these children deserve more than warm words. They deserve safety, stability and a future. Gooramayagut. Gooramayagut. Gooramayagut. Thank you. Governor? Let me now, I'll start the next-and-line. Thank you. Firstly, the Minister and I want to take the opportunity to again express our sincere condolences to the family of Vadim Deviyanq and everyone associated with his tragic death last Wednesday, the 15th October. At the outset, the Minister wishes to acknowledge the interest of the members of this House in issues surrounding unaccompanied minors from Ukraine. In particular, the Minister would like to thank Senator Kyogun for raising the important issue of unaccompanied minors in the care of Tusla and in aftercare services. Children in the care of the State are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. A priority for the Minister for Children and Tusla is ensuring that all children in care have a place of safety. Tusla's separated children seeking international protection service provides a response to the needs of minors who present in Ireland unaccompanied by parents or caregivers, whether they are fleeing the war in Ukraine or otherwise seeking international protection. Tusla has seen a 500% increase in the arrival of unaccompanied minors since 2022, which has placed significant pressures on Tusla and the State more generally. Tusla has reported that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine it has received 879 referrals in relation to children and young people from Ukraine and it has provided care and accommodation for 777 children under the Child Care Act of 1991. Tusla has advised that since the commencement of the war in Ukraine, 432 Ukrainian young people have aged out and are no longer in the care of or accommodated by the agency. The agency has also informed the Department of Children that it has provided continuing support to 5 young people from Ukraine who are over 18. However, this does not amount to the provision of a statutory aftercare service. These young people who become adults, beneficiaries of temporary protection, transition into accommodation under the International Protection Accommodation Service and receive a range of supports in line with other beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. The Department of Children continues to engage with Tusla and the Department of Justice on the implications of the EU migration pact through engagement on the development of the International Protection Bill which has been brought forward by my colleague Minister for Justice. This important piece of legislation will impact on the manner in which unaccompanied minors are dealt with in the State. It should be noted, however, that the specific circumstances of the young people arriving from Ukraine are always taken into account when deciding on the type of care and accommodation offered to them. These circumstances can include whether they have family already here, their age, their language skills and their assessed needs. I would like to share with this House a number of developments that the Department of Children and Tusla continue to progress in this area. Firstly, Tusla is currently undertaking a strategic review of the purpose and function of its separated children seeking International Protection Service to include a plan for improved governance, a new accommodation strategy, data management strategy and workforce plan. Secondly, Tusla has developed a new model of care for this service to offer care and protection to these young people and to integrate them into Irish life. Finally, Tusla has established a national steering group for the service through which Tusla can engage with relevant organisations, including non-governmental organisations, on issues that most affect this vulnerable cohort. Thank you. Thank you, Minister. Unfortunately, none of my questions got answered, but the most shocking line of that is that 777 children are under the care of Tusla and 432 Ukrainian children have aged out and they are no longer in the care or accommodated by the agency. And they are only supporting 5 young people over the age of 18 today. That is absolutely shocking. I know one young man. The day he turned 18, a taxi picked him up outside his accommodation. He was brought to a hotel room with three other men in that room. That is not an aftercare for children that are coming from war-torn countries. That is absolutely letting down these children that we have brought in from war-torn countries. And he hasn't heard from a social worker since that day. Now the agency is under pressure and I get that. And aftercare is really, really hard to get for these children. And I know this because I have had children in care over the years and children that have gone into the aftercare system. But this is not good enough, particularly children that do not have anybody. We are their only, the State are their guardians and we are letting them down. And this special emergency accommodation is not good enough, it is unregulated. Please Minister, we must do better by these children. I would like to again thank the Senator for bringing forward the important issue. And I would like to thank her for her comments in relation to it. In concluding, I would like to reiterate the fact that Ireland has responded to the Ukrainian crisis by welcoming over 110,000 Ukrainians forced to leave their homeland in the most difficult of circumstances and who have sought sanctuary here in Ireland. A significant proportion of these have been unaccompanied minors fleeing the war and who have been taken into care or provided accommodation by Tusla. I want to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts and achievements by the State in general and by Tusla in particular in accommodating those 777 children who have had to flee Ukraine. Many of these children and young people fleeing Ukraine have since turned 18 and have begun the process of integrating into Irish society and are contributing to our culture and our local economies. I have no doubt that in time they will play a crucial role in rebuilding their country when it is once again safe for them to do so. Lastly the Minister would like to acknowledge the invaluable role that care workers including foster carers and after care workers play in the lives of our children in care and care leavers. The support these workers provide to children and young people is critically important to providing the best platform for the transition from care into adult life.