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Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has called on Tusla to “explain what has fundamentally changed for vulnerable children in emergency care.”
In a response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Tóibín, Tusla stated that Special Emergency Arrangements have been replaced by a new framework of emergency placements, including Tusla Emergency Centres, Private Temporary Placements and Registered Private Residential Centres. Tusla described the move as a significant reform designed to bring emergency placements within a statutory framework.
However, the same response confirms that as of 19 July 2026, 62 children and young people remained in unregistered temporary emergency placements, including 11 children who had been there for between seven and twelve months and two children who had been there for between thirteen and twenty-four months.
Deputy Tóibín said “This response raises more questions than it answers. Tusla states that Special Emergency Arrangements have been replaced, yet it has also confirmed that 62 children remain in unregistered emergency placements. The obvious question is what has fundamentally changed for these children.”
“Emergency placements are supposed to be short-term and exceptional. Yet Tusla has confirmed that children are spending many months, and in some cases up to two years, in these arrangements.”
“Tusla must provide clarity on what distinguishes the new system from the former SEA model. Is this a genuine reform of the system or primarily a change in classification? How many former SEA providers are now operating as Private Temporary Placements? Are the same providers still operating these services? Are they still receiving public funding and under what contractual arrangements?”
“HIQA has consistently warned about children being placed in unregulated arrangements and the shortage of appropriate care placements. Those concerns cannot simply be wished away by changing terminology.”
“Tusla refers to organisations that are ‘working towards registration’. What does that mean in practice? How long can children remain in these placements? What inspections are taking place? What powers does HIQA have in relation to these services? transparency is needed regarding the operation, regulation and cost of the new arrangements.”
“If the new framework is fundamentally different from the previous SEA system, Tusla should clearly demonstrate how. If not, people will legitimately ask whether SEAs have simply been replaced by differently named arrangements while many of the underlying concerns remain unresolved.”
“The focus must remain on the welfare of vulnerable children. Every child in State care deserves a safe, stable and properly regulated placement. The Government and Tusla must explain why dozens of children continue to live in unregistered emergency placements and what the plan is to end reliance on them,” Tóibin said.
Tusla said it had announced significant progress in how emergency placements for children and young people are provided and governed, bringing all emergency care fully within the legislative framework of the Child Care Act, 1991.
A Special Emergency Arrangement was used to provide an immediate place of safety when no other registered placement was available, typically following a placement breakdown (family or residential home, or foster care), to meet more complex needs, or to keep siblings together. Our priority has always been to transition each young person to an appropriate foster care or mainstream residential care home as soon as possible, the agency said.
“In the context of sustained and unprecedented demand for emergency care placements, significant progress has been made to operate within a more clearly defined framework, underpinned by statutory oversight and strengthened governance arrangements, helping toensure that placements are provided as safely as possible within the changing context in which emergency care is required,” it added.
“As of the end of June 2026, all emergency placements will operate as either Registered Private Residential Centres, Tusla Emergency Centres, or Private Temporary Placements, and will be categorised as such within our reporting framework,” Tusla said.
In addition, in response to the increased demand for services for separated children seeking international protection, Tusla has implemented Emergency Intake Units, replacing previous reliance on special emergency arrangements where it experienced a significant increase in numbers of unaccompanied minors. These placements are fully registered centres and aligned to PACT26 (EU Pact on Migration & Asylum). The placements are regulated to HIQA standards and inspected by Tusla’s Alternative Care Inspection and Monitoring Services.
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