Tusla Spent €38 Million Housing 51 Refugee Children, PAC Told
Dublin: Ireland’s Child and Family Agency, Tusla, has come under scrutiny after revealing that it spent €38 million to provide emergency accommodation for 51 refugee children last year. The figure was disclosed before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Dáil, prompting questions about costs and oversight.
According to Tusla, the average expenditure per child amounted to approximately €750,000 in 2024 — down from €900,000 per child the previous year. The agency defended the high spending, citing staff costs and the intensive, full-time supervision required for children in care.
PAC Chair and Sinn Féin TD John Brady questioned whether the level of spending could be justified. Other committee members — including Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly and Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe — also expressed concern, noting that standards of care in some private centres were reportedly substandard despite the high costs involved.
Tusla said the majority of expenses are tied to staffing and specialist care, as many children in emergency accommodation require one-to-one or single-occupancy arrangements. Finance Director Pat Smith told the committee that the cost of a single-occupancy placement can exceed €1.5 million annually.
The agency said children aged between 18 months and 17 years are being housed across a network of centres, many of which are managed by 14 private service providers. Payments to these providers totalled over €70 million last year.
Tusla Chief Executive Bernard Gloster acknowledged the financial strain and said the agency would seek additional funding in the upcoming national budget to continue meeting demand for child protection and refugee care services.
Concerns Over Outsourced Care Services
PAC members also raised questions about outsourcing and the oversight of foreign-run care facilities. Many emergency and residential centres in Ireland are managed by private operators, some of which employ international staff, including carers from India and Pakistan.
Tusla representatives confirmed that these carers typically receive standard pay under Irish employment law. However, PAC members urged stronger monitoring to ensure that funding is used appropriately and care standards are consistently upheld.
The committee has requested a detailed breakdown of costs, oversight mechanisms, and provider compliance ahead of its next hearing.
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