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

I really note what the Deputy has said about that region and we will take account of it. I have also tried to indicate my own response to that report. An action plan has been drawn up and the overseeing and implementation of that will hopefully address many of the issues the Deputy has identified. I have also talked about the ways in which we are trying to move on the recruitment and retention of additional social workers. I have significantly increased budgets over the past number of years and much of that has been directed to supporting Tusla in doing that kind of recruitment.

I do not have specific answers to the Deputy's questions, although I can get them, but an eight-point plan for this region, along with some others, has been identified. It offers additional ways to monitor and encourage the change that needs to take place in those areas.

See this speech in context