Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It was a duty social worker who stated this when my secretary outlined the situation, which was just that we needed a referral to CAHMS for a child. Due to behavioural issues, he was only receiving two hours of school per day. It was a significant issue and he needed a referral. While the truancy officer is working with the family, he has not to date - this happened in September - got a referral to CAHMS. Following the posting of the letter, it still took nearly three months for Tusla to acknowledge it. There has still been no referral or contact with the family. It is something I wanted to highlight this morning to the Minister but did not have the opportunity to do so earlier. It is difficult to get acknowledgements let alone to have anything processed or progressed. During that conversation, the duty social worker said that a GP was the only person who could make a referral for the child. It was pointed out that it states on the website that, in certain circumstances, a social worker can make it. My secretary was told that the website was wrong. I just wanted to make that point.