Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, holds the statutory responsibility for child welfare and protection. It is the appropriate body to receive reports relating to children at risk, whether in State institutions, foster care or in the home. Tusla provides the Department of Children and Youth Affairs with regular detailed reports on key performance and activity indicators relating to referrals and management of child abuse. I assure the Deputy that Tusla deals immediately with emergency cases, including, for instance, if a child has been abandoned or is in immediate physical danger or at risk of sexual abuse.

Each referral received by the agency is assessed and dealt with on an individual basis by the duty social work team. At the end of the first quarter of 2016, Tusla reported approximately 60% of the referrals received were of a child welfare concern. The remaining related to child protection concerns where the concern was of abuse, including neglect. Tusla refers child welfare concerns to the relevant family and community support services. At any stage, if circumstances change or new information comes to light and there is concern about abuse, including neglect, the child protection pathway is followed.

At the end of August 2016, the number of cases awaiting allocation to a social worker stood at 4,727, a 30% decrease since December 2015. The number of high-priority cases awaiting allocation was 639, a 36% decrease on December 2015. Of the 639 high-priority cases awaiting allocation, 267 were waiting less than a month, 190 between one to three months, and 182 more than three months.

The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, inspects Tusla child welfare and protection services, statutory children's residential care centres and foster care services while Tusla inspects children's residential centres run by the private and voluntary sectors. My officials pay close attention to the findings of these inspections, follow up with Tusla and report to me on progress made.

The additional funding of €37 million which has been secured for Tusla in 2017 will provide increased resources to meet identified risks and service demands.

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