More than 400 children taken into state care in first half of 2020

There are now almost 6,000 children in care in Ireland

A child is only brought into care as a last resort and only if it in the best interests of the child, according to Tusla. Picture: Getty

Children were taken into state care more than 430 times in the first six months of this year, new figures show.

Details released under the Freedom of Information Act show Tusla, the child and family agency, took 434 children into care because they were deemed to be at risk.

A total of 218 children were taken into state care in the 0 to 6 age category, followed by 125 in the 13 to 17 age ...