James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We most certainly are and I gave the figures to the committee previously. The number in the recruitment process currently is 128 and staff turnover is 3.57%. There are variations in different parts of the country and the current social worker head count is 1,543. There is no question that we want more social workers.

My Department leads the special needs interdepartmental group. This will not delay the other work, as this group is doing specific work on the needs of children with special needs in both preschool and school and examining how best to meet them.

The Deputy asked whether I will get the Children First legislation through by the summer. It is our intention to so do and it will be subject perhaps to a little co-operation from the members. As I said earlier in the context of the Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 and Oberstown, that are many provisions people want to add to the legislation that might be better dealt with elsewhere and I would not like the issue of perfection to get in the way of a good Bill. I want to get this passed to end the scenario whereby children are sent to adult prisons. Nobody agrees with that.

It is our intention to introduce the adoption information Bill before the end of the Dáil term. We have made a breakthrough, about which I am pleased, over the past few weeks and, therefore, I hope to get the heads of the Bill to the Government as soon as possible.

The Deputy raised the issue of redeployment by Tusla in Laois-Offaly and then Louth-Meath. The officials learned many lessons from the Laois-Offaly experience and they repeated the process in Louth-Meath in a way that does not impact on the other services, from which they draw members of the special team. In fairness to Mr. Fred McBride, the chief operations officer, he has taken personal control over these two areas and he has gone in on a regular basis. Up until recently, we had fortnightly meetings. We had one only a fortnight ago and we will have one again next week. I asked for that yesterday, although that may come as news to Tusla.

The Deputy is correct that there is no indication of the budget for the interdepartmental group. The group is to put forward a properly thought out plan to address our child care needs and how quickly or slowly we can go on the basis of how much money the Government has. Those matters are beyond my ken.

Deputy McLellan referred to closing the book on Question No. 18. There is no question of the book being closed. The Garda continues to investigate these issues and any other issues that are brought to its intention.

She said Tusla is slow in answering questions. I can take that with up the organisation to her benefit-----