Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy knows, there has been a recruitment pause in the HSE and maternity posts are not being filled, which is having an impact. In that context, the recruitment of 270 social workers who have been exempted from the moratorium is important for child protection work, as recommended by the Ryan report. It is quite an achievement on the part of the HSE to have delivered 200 social workers, with 60 to be in place by the end of December and a further ten in January.

There is undoubtedly pressure in the system. I do not think a proper analysis has been done in the past of the number of cases and the required number of social workers; neither has proper management taken place with regard to data collection, as I have made clear this afternoon.

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