Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on the inadequate central referral system used by social worker services and the absence of a central ICT system. [23056/16]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister to outline her views on the inadequate central referral system used by social work services in the absence of central IT. I take on board that the Minister has answered many of my questions on the absence of a central IT system, but I would like to hear her views on how that is impacting on social workers who are trying to make referrals through a central system.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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As I said earlier, ICT is critical to providing effective social work services for vulnerable children and families. This question is very similar to one that was asked earlier.

The Deputy specifically focused on how important ICT is for the work of social workers. It is absolutely critical, as the current HIQA report and others have indicated. When the ICT system is rolled out, it will ensure a much better service for social workers in the 17 Tusla administrative areas. Each administrative area has put in place, to the best of its ability, supports to ensure the ICT system is as good as it can be in the context of where they are working.

One aspect of the national child care information system we would particularly welcome is that not only would it be more efficient and supportive of social workers in particular administrative areas, but there would be a way of connecting that across the board throughout the country in terms of finding information on particular children no matter where they are. As I indicated previously, the system has been piloted in Tusla's mid-west region. It intends to roll out the system nationally over the coming year, and I will continue to support it as a key priority.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister has hit on the kernel of the issue, namely, the lack of communication among social workers. If a child in Galway moves to Dublin, social workers cannot access the relevant data. That is where things are falling down.

I welcome what the Minister said earlier. If we have the correct IT system in place in 2017 and money is ring-fenced from capital funding, that will go a long way towards helping families and, most importantly, children. It will enable social workers to do their jobs, communicate, prevent abuse and protect children in future.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In light of some earlier questions from Deputy Shortall, this would be a critical aspect of the retention of social workers. I hope this will be one of the best systems that are possible. A lot of time was spent on consultation throughout the country with users and providers to design a particular system. In light of that, I hope and expect that the new system will considerably increase the capacity of social workers to work and, therefore, be supportive of the ability of Tusla to retain its employees.