55 'separated children' seeking asylum in Ireland are in state care

New figures show there are 55 "separated children seeking asylum" in state care in Ireland.

Tusla says many of these people are very vulnerable, through bereavement, social isolation and mental health problems.

According to Tusla's latest figures, 29 of these children are in residential care, 16 in supported lodgings and 10 in foster care.

Fianna Fáil TD Eugene Murphy says these children deserve excellent care.

"The first thing when I looked at the material here I thought how sad it is that children who had to flee from other lands, maybe pushed by their parents who have not made it here, to find that they are now in care," said Mr Murphy.

Even though the number has gone down in the last two years it is very significant to see that quite a number are in care.

Tusla has spent more than €5.2m on caring for these children in the last year.

Deputy Murphy said that more of the children should be looked after in foster care.

"Maybe what we should do is have a look at the foster care scenario to see if we could encourage some more people to take those children," said Deputy Murphy.

"It must be a very sad situation that for many of those in residential care, they have no family here, maybe their parents have died abroad.

"We need to support them here. My preference would be to encourage people to move into foster care to give these children some type of future."