Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)

As I said at the outset, there are 20 social workers in County Clare. All of the three current vacancies are due to be filled this summer, depending on whether they relate to a career break, maternity leave or whatever else, so they will be at their full capacity of 23 social workers.

I recognise the invaluable work of social workers. Across the country, there is a lack of social workers available to us. It is for that reason that social work, per se, is on the critical skills list of the Department of enterprise. It is also for that reason that new routes to social work training are in place. In UCC there is an apprenticeship model of earn-as-you-learn. That is very important because the wider we can cast the net for people to become involved in this field of work, the better. Some 320 additional places are being provided in further and higher education this year alone, and a significant number of them are in the area of social work.

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