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

I thank the Deputy. I wish to say two things in response to her questions. Regarding the number of aftercare workers, I would like to put on record that we need to fill some more posts. Tusla now has 111 posts in aftercare. Some 89 of them are filled by aftercare workers. There are 11 vacancies at aftercare worker grade. Tusla recently held a competition for 11 management posts. An additional 18 aftercare workers are employed by other organisations such as Focus Ireland and Don Bosco Care. I wish to put that on the record.

In response to the Deputy's second point, I am very much in favour of hearing from the people who experience the issues themselves, in this case the young people who have been in care. The Deputy may be aware that EPIC has an advisory council of young people which effectively does that kind of work. I have met with and listened to its members. They have developed materials. I was recently in Tallaght at one of EPIC's awareness-raising events highlighting the needs of young people in aftercare. I will raise that issue with EPIC. In other words, such a group already exists. The Deputy may be suggesting that we need to widen it and provide the opportunity for others to come forward. We will look at that. I thank the Deputy.

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