Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

The Implementation Plan published on foot of the Ryan report committed to the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers. The first 200 of these posts were filled last year. The HSE national service plan includes financial provision of €3.8 million for the recruitment of a further 60 social workers this year. I have been assured by the HSE that it plans to have the 60 additional staff in place by the end of December.

This question is effectively a repeat of a priority question tabled earlier by Deputy McConalogue.

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