Around 100 unborn babies are put on Tusla's watchlist each year due to safety concerns.

Over the last eight years, figures show that the state's child and family agency placed 726 babies on its child protection notification system (CPNS).

The CPNS is a national record of all children who are the subject of a child protection plan.

Children's charity Barnardos says its important parents get the support they need:

"When a child is placed on the child protection register, the family will be allocated a social worker", Suzanne Connolly, the charity's CEO,  said.

"The social worker's job is to help the family but predominantly to ensure the child is safe in the home environment.

"What the social worker will then do is ensure a range of family supports are available."

Substance abuse

In 2022, Tusla placed 96 babies on the CPNS over fears of abuse or neglect.

Ms Connolly says that the most common reason unborn babies are placed on the CPNS is that the mother is abusing substances such as drugs or alcohol.

"They want that baby to go home with them and they want to have the opportunity to care for that baby without anyone involved in their lives other than who they would like to be involved in their lives", she said.

"However, when those parents do not have the capacity to care for the baby, when they're in addiction or whether there is concerns about their ability as parents, it's really important that they are supported to receive the help they need."