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

I do not know if there will be a rise in the numbers, so I cannot say "Yes" or "No" right now. I can state that we have had a really intensive focus on the education welfare service in general. It is part of Tusla. We started that focus, as Deputy Mitchell knows, with the review of the school completion programme itself. When I looked at it more deeply, however, I realised that we could not just look at that issue in isolation. We had to look at the other two aspects of the education welfare service as well. That in turn brought us to the wider examination and the belief that we need this overall blueprint to move forward to ensure better integration and a better way of supporting our young people staying in school. That may require more people or it may not. I respect the views of the Children's Rights Alliance and Ms Ward. We will listen to those views and perhaps Ms Ward may even participate in a consultation event. We have done much work which will be put in front of the stakeholders and we want to hear back from them before we move forward on decisions.

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