Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

-----and he is recruiting for them. The 57 recruitments will take the normal course. Some have already been offered and some staff are already in place. The recruitment is going ahead. There is no embargo.

However, I take the Deputy's point. This is an area in which there is high demand, the work is challenging and social workers require support. I pay tribute to the front line work being done, but difficult issues have emerged over many years, as the Deputy knows.

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