Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for her reply. As she outlined, the previous Government provided funding for the employment - despite the existence of the recruitment ban - of 270 social workers and in respect of additional posts to deliver assessments and therapeutic services for children in special care units and in detention. As the Minister indicated, 60 of those 270 social workers are currently in the process of being appointed. Is she satisfied that these individuals - who are being appointed in line with the recommendations contained in the Ryan report - will prove sufficient in the context of dealing with the problems which currently exist in the system as a result of a lack of social workers? Since she came to office has the Minister carried out an assessment in respect of whether the number of social workers being appointed will prove to be adequate?

A recent HIQA report on services in the Dublin north-west area indicates that one third of children there do not have allocated social workers. In addition, a significant number of foster families in the area to which I refer have not been assessed. It is critical that we provide the resources to ensure those gaps are filled. The Ryan report made a recommendation for 270 social workers for which the funding has been provided and is available. Therefore, the Minister could put the last 70 of these in place. Has she assessed whether that will be enough? If she has made that assessment, how many more will be required and will she put the funding in place to deliver them?

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