Quarter of children in State care from Cork and Midwest

ALMOST a quarter of children now in State care were removed from families in Cork and the Midwest, despite these areas accounting for just 15% of the country’s population.

New figures provided to the Irish Mail on Sunday confirm there were 705 children in the care of the State child and family agency Tusla in Cork at the end of last year.

In the Midwest region – which includes Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary – there were 513 children in the care of Tusla.

The combined figures equate to 23% of the total of 5,576 children in State care around the country when the latest figures were collated in October 2023.

Another third of the children in care were in the Dublin region, which broadly matches the percentage of the population living in the county. In the city and county of Dublin, there were 1,765 children in care.

Sligo, Leitrim and west Cavan had the lowest number of minors in care relative to population, at 111.

Mayo, Kerry and Donegal had 142, 163 and 215 respectively in care.

In Waterford and Wexford, 423 children were in State care at the same period, with 395 in Louth and Meath.

This was followed by Galway and Roscommon (353), the Midlands (321) and the combined counties of Carlow, Kilkenny and south Tipperary (316).

Responding to the figures, the Alliance of Birth Mothers Campaigning for Justice questioned whether ‘alarm bells’ should be ringing given the ‘disproportionate’ number of children from the Cork and Midwest areas in State care.

The figures released to the MoS follow a trend that was first highlighted by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín in 2020, in responses to parliamentary questions on the issue.

In response to queries from the MoS, Tusla stressed that its ‘main priority is the safety and wellbeing of children and young people’.

The agency said in a statement: ‘Tusla works with children, their families and other agencies in order to keep them safe from harm and with their families wherever possible.’

A spokesman noted that Tusla has a lower numbers of children in care compared to England, Scotland and Wales.

‘Ireland is also among world leaders in foster care, and the agency is committed to ensuring that we continue to place approximately 90% of children in State care in foster care. Tusla prioritises the return home of children in care at the earliest possible opportunity,’ they added.