Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates from Tusla and thank the chief executive officer for his update on developments at this very important State agency. Mr. Jeyes concluded his statement by emphasising the need for additional investment. As I recall, he indicated at the time the budget Estimates were being discussed last year that the agency required an extra €42 million in funding just to stand still. He was unable to secure that amount, but there was an increase in funding of €24 million or so. How has Tusla been able to manage the increase in the number of children in care with allocated social workers and with a written plan and the numbers receiving aftercare services given that he indicated, less than 12 months ago, that an additional €42 million was needed just to ensure the agency stands still? This week, the Dáil passed the Children First Bill 2014, which places the Children First guidelines on a statutory basis. Are the delegates confident they have the necessary resources to ensure the provisions set out in that legislation become a reality?

In the past, the HSE published social worker statistics on a quarterly basis which set out the number of children in care, the number with an allocated social worker and the number with a dedicated care plan. Tusla produces a similar report measuring pressures in the system on a quarterly basis. Why is it necessary to submit a freedom of information request in order to access those reports? Where is the transparency in that?

When the delegates appeared before the committee in May, we spoke about the appalling situation in Laois-Offaly. I requested on that occasion that all 17 areas be examined to ensure practice there was not replicated elsewhere in the country. Has that review taken place? After the meeting, I highlighted to Mr. Jeyes the situation in a particular region. His office subsequently contacted me for further information, which I supplied. Will he quantify the optimum level of social workers needed to ensure all children in care have a dedicated social worker and a care plan? Will he confirm whether that target has been met? I am not asking whether it is being met on paper; that might well be the case even if 200 or so social workers, say, are out on maternity leave.

Have we a sufficient number of social workers to do the job that needs to be done?

Mr. Jeyes stated, "Accountability has been strengthened with clear line management responsibility.", and he spoke about accountability, consistency and transparency in May 2015. Has anyone been held accountable in Laois-Offaly? Has anybody been held accountable in the other regions that have highlighted incompetence or malpractice - whatever way one wishes to describe it?

One of the other matters identified during the previous meeting Mr. Jeyes attended was that we do not have an efficient computerised system to keep an effective record or log of what is going on. This would have been a basic requirement in the establishment of a new agency. Would Mr. Jeyes agree that it was inappropriate that the agency was established without this? Have plans been put in place to ensure that this will be established, and at what cost? Will additional resources be made available this year to ensure that this is established because, without an effective and efficient log system, it is difficult to keep a handle on everything that is going on in a particular region?

Recently, the Minister - I am sorry, Mr. Jeyes-----