Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Question 71: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the procedures in place in her Department to monitor, on an ongoing basis, the number of children who are the subject of reports to the Health Service Executive of either abuse or neglect and to monitor the timeframe involved in the commencement of an investigation and assessment of such reports; the progress reported to her in the implementation of the HSE National Service Plan 2008 which commits the HSE to collate reports on child care services in each administrative area; the number of notifications of child abuse or neglect to the HSE in respect of which there are children on waiting lists for full assessments; the average time spent on a waiting list for assessment following such notification; and the action she proposes to take to address the difficulties in this area and to ensure children are properly protected. [45581/08]

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