Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

3. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide the necessary number of social workers for services for children and youth. [36155/14]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister and wish him well in his new Ministry. There is a major task ahead, as illustrated by our questions today. I welcome the fact that 100 social workers are to be recruited.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question and his wishes of goodwill. At the end of August 2014, there were 1,387.89 whole time equivalent social workers employed at the Child and Family Agency. Staffing vacancies arise for various reasons including retirements, resignations, career breaks, maternity leave and other unpaid leave. A system of risk analysis is in place in each area to ensure that staffing numbers do not fall to an unsafe level and gaps identified through this process are addressed with the additional resources of temporary staff as required. All identified vacancies are the subject of a recruitment process to ensure their filling at the earliest opportunity.

The latest figures available to my Department show 106 social workers have been recruited since the agency was established on 1 January 2014 with a further additional 148 posts currently on offer to candidates or at various stages of recruitment. The agency, as part of its workforce planning strategy, is progressing a number of targeted recruitment initiatives designed to alleviate service pressures. These include the development of a pilot maternity leave cover scheme for social workers, whereby maternity related vacancies can be filled by way of a 12 month temporary contract. Some 30 temporary posts have been put in place across the agency to date under this scheme.

The agency is also developing a one year induction programme which will be targeted at graduate social workers. It is my intention that the agency will progress and build on these recruitment initiatives over the remaining three months of 2014 and throughout 2015 in response to identified need.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Recent statistics from the Child and Family Agency are alarming. Some 3,250 high priority cases identified over the summer are awaiting a response. Some 4,700 cases were deemed to be of medium priority while 1,500 were listed as low priority. The number of children at risk received by social services increased by 98% over the past seven years, from 21,000 to 41,600 in 2013. This gives cause for great concern and needs to be addressed. Budget and staffing levels do not reflect the increased demand and services are coming under severe pressure on a weekly basis. Early intervention is essential to avoid problems escalating through neglect. If there is no intervention, children will naturally end up in care. I ask the Minister to use his office to intervene in this situation immediately, and to give direction and a working plan to address these matters at an early stage.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The figures mentioned by the Deputy are accurate. There are 3,000 cases which are considered high priority. It is important to note that each of these cases has been reviewed by a social worker and have been triaged. They await the allocation of a full-time social worker. We have issues with recruitment. The issue is not a lack of funding, but rather difficulties in filling some posts. Social work care is not unlike many other aspects of the health service with which the Deputy will be familiar. There are sometimes difficulties in getting doctors to work in particular hospitals or geographic locations. The same can be said of social workers. Some areas are very difficult and the work has an impact on people. That is why there is continuous staff turnover. The funding is in place. The recruitment process is ongoing and has been successful insofar as to date more than 100 social workers have been recruited and are in place. In my reply I referred to a figure of 90 but I understand more than 100 recruitments are currently in process. The matter is being dealt with aggressively.

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Front-line services are struggling to deal with the heavy case loads. Resources are scarce. HIQA estimated that some social work teams are operating at 70% of their intended staffing levels and that was having a serious negative effect on the delivery of social services. The Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, recently pointed out that she had raised concerns about how continued resource shortages would affect the sector. She has reasons to have concerns as the Child and Family Agency has serious legacy debts and is likely to run more than €20 million over budget by the end of the year. Can the Minister make overtures to the Minister for Finance or obtain the necessary funding in the forthcoming budget? It is needed at an early stage.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There is no question that we face challenges from a financial point of view. There will always be demand and we need to ensure that the way we are delivering care and services is done in an efficient manner. As is the case in other areas, sometimes social workers are being tasked with other work of a more clerical nature from which they could be freed in order to address the area in which they are skilled. We are examining that and the appropriateness of the roles to try to improve the situation from the point of view of the child.

Areas such as the historic legacy of legal issues are now being addressed by Mr. Gordon Jeyes. The bill will reduce considerably. One firm had not submitted a bill of almost €1 million for nearly four years. It is very difficult to predict with certainty where one is going when such situations arise. I thank Deputy Fleming for the opportunity today to send a message out today that we will have to consider, in consultation with the Attorney General, some other arrangement. We demand prompt payment by Government Departments, but there should equally be some onus on those presenting bills to do so in a reasonable and timely fashion. I do not consider the presentation of a bill four years late to be timely and reasonable.