Health authorities have spent almost €30 million over the past five years on the care of asylum-seeking children in facilities where at least one child is disappearing every week, it has emerged.
FG’s immigration spokesman Denis Naughten said yesterday it was a national scandal that taxpayers were footing the bill for hostels which were little more than “grooming grounds” for those seeking to prey on vulnerable children.
“For the first six months of this year the HSE has paid out close to €3 million for hostel accommodation for immigrant children . . . ,” he said.