Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Dunnion for her opening statement. What steps have been taken, to the best of her knowledge, to create, with educational institutions, a framework for a formal career path? Ms Dunnion mentioned that other jurisdictions use non-social work staff to carry out activities undertaken by social workers here. What progress is being made on that here? Is it having any beneficial impact on social workers in performing their duties and doing paperwork? Any social workers I have spoken to in recent years have told me that over 50% of their job has been dealing with paperwork which in their view is about 80% too much because it stops them getting out and being effective social care workers.