Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty with the retention of social workers probably equates to the workload they have and the fact that the teams are so badly understaffed. Last year when the children's referendum was passed, the Minister stated that it was the start of a process and that we would show through our actions in the coming years how committed we were to the change that had taken place. We must deal with the issue of recruitment and ensure vulnerable children are protected. The recruitment process must ensure demands are met. The Minister must press on very urgently to ensure these demands can be met and fight for and obtain the extra numbers required.

See this speech in context