Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

The position is very clear; the current number of social workers employed in child and family services is 1,190. This figure includes 258 of the 263 posts recruited to date in line with the recommendations in the Ryan report. The report analysed this matter and its authors suggested the recruitment of an extra 270 social workers in total. In recent months, a significant number of vacancies has arisen, primarily as a result of retirements but also due to career breaks and extended leave.

As I stated, the HSE's national director has been given the authority to fill key vacancies. The HSE is recruiting 57 social workers to fill recent vacancies that have arisen across all care groups. The posts are at various stages of recruitment. In effect, we have the number of social workers that were in place previously. Additional social workers are being recruited and this process is ongoing. There was some movement in and out of the service, as will be the case given the kinds of numbers that obtain in a national service.

There is a point I need to make that was made by Mr. Gordon Jeyes in response to questions asked of him at a committee meeting on resources. He stated in response to questions from Deputies Ó Caoláin and McConalogue that he remained unconvinced that we are making the most effective use of resources. He told the Deputies that while he was deeply conscious that the system was under pressure, he was not prompted to say more resources comprise the only solution. He told the Deputies the current financial circumstances should lead to a debate on prioritisation and that work should be prioritised within the resources available. That is not to say that if there were more resources available, all else being equal, they would not be used effectively in this area. I have no doubt that they would be.

When there were many resources available to the State, it was quite clear that with regard to the kinds of changes needed to have the kind of national service we have been discussing, be it in respect of after-hours service or national high support and special care services, key policy decisions were not taken. Some of them have considerable implications for finance. Therefore, it is not just a question of increasing the number of social workers but of determining what they are doing, how other agencies are interacting with them, how the work is referred among the many services we are supporting financially, including voluntary services, and how the work is being organised among the voluntary and the statutory services. There are many issues that enter this discussion.

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