Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Would the Minister consider having representatives of the Child and Family Agency attend when he gives the briefing? At our last quarterly hearing, I asked the former Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, to consider it. How does the committee interact with the Child and Family Agency? It is unacceptable that six months after its establishment we have had no interaction with it. At yesterday's press briefing, Mr. Paul Harrison of the Child and Family Agency said 9,000 children who have been referred to the Child and Family Agency await the allocation of a social worker. What is more staggering is that 3,000 of them are considered high priority. I am extremely concerned about the figure, which I questioned yesterday on the radio. I am alarmed that it is so high. With so many high priority children not being considered by the agency, we should be ringing alarm bells and there should be a sense of urgency.