Ms Kate Duggan:

I do not have the figures to hand but I will get them to the Chair. Earlier, Mr. Gloster referenced that in 2021 we allocated an additional 65 social workers. They certainly went into the Dublin and midlands areas. These were recognised as the areas where we needed them and where vacancies were more difficult to fill. I can certainly get the information to the Chair on the existing number of social workers and the vacancies that are there. It comes back to what Mr. Gloster said about new graduates this year.

We secured funding for 99 graduates this year and they are going to the areas of highest need. A number of them are going to Dublin south-west, Kildare-west Wicklow, Louth and Meath, to Dublin south-central and to the midlands.