Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I put it to the Minister that the Taoiseach was incorrect when he stated recently during Leaders' Questions that Tusla was well funded. Our recent crisis in child protection, the lack of social workers and misappropriation of case files all point to a system that is not adequately funded. If so, there are serious flaws in the system. Changes in our child protection regime will take time and will require resources. All children stakeholders and many of those working with children today will attest to an acute lack of resources for social work, mental health and family support and early intervention services for children in this State. As stated recently by the ISPCC, the lack of a countrywide, funded, 24-hour social work service is a national scandal. Does the Minister believe it is acceptable that a child presenting with urgent child protection needs on a Friday afternoon will, in the vast majority of cases, have to wait three nights to have his or her case passed to a social worker, as outlined by the ISPCC?

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