Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

Will the Minister clarify that under her watch, after retirements at the end of February, we are talking about a net increase of one social worker, according to her figures? This is against a background of children waiting 18 months for psychological assessment or six months to have hearing assessed, for example. In order to implement the Children First guidelines, we are going to need many more resources. Is it the case that the delay in putting the Children First guidelines on a statutory footing results from the Minister's awareness of "challenging circumstances" or "legacy issues" meaning that resources are not being put in? Therefore, the Government and the Minister could end up exposed to legal action if the guidelines are put on a statutory footing but we fail to put in place the necessary resources to implement them. Is that the reason for the delay?

See this speech in context