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

The somewhat rosy picture painted by the Minister of an improving situation does not reflect the language in the report, which stated that the service was not sufficiently resourced to deliver a child centred, safe and effective service that met the needs of children and families. It further stated that there were long waiting lists at point of receipt of referral and following the completion of the initial assessment. It found that staffing numbers were not sufficient to cope with the level of demand for the service and that some offices were in poor condition and not a suitable place for children and families to meet their social worker.

This is a damning statement. I refer to the two categories where the report identified significant risk. The Minister said earlier that children who were high priority or at significant risk would be dealt with immediately. However, the report identified significant risk with regard to the specific circumstances and needs of children subjected to organisational and-or institutional abuse and how children who are deemed to be especially vulnerable are identified and responded to. In that category the report finds a significant risk identified. That is in one administrative area and it is damning. Can the Minister tell the House what are the similar figures and breakdown for the country as a whole? If it is as bad as Cork it is not a rosy picture.

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