Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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43. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children that have been brought to the attention of the child welfare and protection services and have not yet been allocated a social worker; if targets for reduction in these cases in 2016 have been reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7016/17]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Like other Deputies, I want to express my concern that, unfortunately, we cannot ask the questions we should be asking today. We need time to raise the issues, particularly from the perspective of spokespersons on children and youth affairs. The fact that incorrect information was in the system in An Garda Síochána long after it had become apparent that it was not true and that that data could have come from what was the Health Service Executive, HSE, at the time but is now Tusla's responsibility is something on which we all want to ask questions and need to ask questions on behalf of the public.

The question I tabled is on the number of unallocated cases that have not been assigned a social worker and are under the child and welfare protection services. The target for the end of 2016 was for a 60% reduction in the number of open cases. My question is to find out if that target has been reached.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I acknowledge Deputy O'Sullivan's concern.

Of course, I understand them. As I said, I am willing to engage should that be the decision of the Business Committee.

On the question the Deputy has put before me, as she is aware, I have placed a high priority on addressing the number of children who are without an allocated social worker. I secured additional funding for this purpose in 2017 and Tusla is now in its second year of a three year plan to ensure a social worker is allocated to all children and young people who need one. In its 2017 business plan it identified additional funding of €2 million for the recruitment of more than 120 social workers to further reduce the number of unallocated cases.

The number of cases without an allocated social worker stood at 6,718 at the end of 2015. The figure at the end of 2016 was 5,413, representing a reduction of 19%, or 1,305, over the course of 2016. Cases to be allocated to a social worker include children known to Tusla whose social worker is no longer available to them, as well as children waiting to be allocated for the first time. All unallocated cases are assessed and prioritised according to risk. It will continue to be challenging to address the problem of unallocated cases, but we made good progress during 2016 and Tusla will continue to prioritise the issue in 2017.

I have provided Tusla with the necessary financial resources to tackle the problem. I secured additional funding of €37 million in 2017, bringing its overall allocation to more than €700 million.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

A key challenge to achieve our objectives will be the recruitment of sufficient social workers and other professional and supporting staff. Tusla is engaged in a major recruitment of social workers, social care workers and business support staff for this purpose. It is important to emphasise that, as Tusla's three year plan to address unallocated cases continues, all urgent cases are dealt with immediately and prioritised, as required. These children do not simply go on a waiting list. My Department will continue to closely monitor progress in this regard. I attach a high priority to tackling this matter and will continue to engage directly with the Tusla board and senior management team over the course of the year to review progress.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I suspect that my next question is the one the Minister was just about to answer. The target figure was 60%, but what has actually been reached is 19%, which clearly is totally inadequate for the children who have had no social worker allocated to them, despite the fact they are at risk. Why is this the case? The Minister has just said extra funding was allocated, but I believe there is a problem with recruitment. We were told Tusla expected to reach its target by the end of 2016, but it is clear that the target has not been reached.

I wish to ask about the 24-hour service. There is a very limited service available. There is an on-call social worker whose number is available to the Garda and a very limited number of other agencies but not to all those involved in child welfare services. There is no opportunity to have a one on one meeting between a social worker and a child at risk.

In the context of the issues I mentioned at the very start, including closing cases when there is no longer perceived to be a risk, this point must be reached at some stage, but we really need to know how come in a case in the public arena of which we are aware incorrect data were still on the Garda system a year or so after it had been identified that they were not correct.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. I concur that her ability to do maths is good and accept what she said. Although there was a significant reduction of 19% in the number of unallocated cases in 2016, that does not mean the target was reached. It was a self-imposed target, but I am aware that it was not reached. Additional funding of €4.2 million has been allocated for the recruitment of almost 70 social workers and to deal with legislative issues related to Children First, adoption and after-care services. The target for the number of social workers at the end of 2017 is 1,675 whole-time equivalents, an increase of more than 200 on the number at the end of 2016. As the Deputy is aware, this is a key issue in dealing with unallocated cases. The target is still ambitious. Tusla is in the second year of a three year plan.

On the 24-hour service, I am aware of the issue, as is Tusla. We hope that in time we will be able to improve it and move beyond the current arrangements.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I will pursue the other issue I raised as to how a case is closed. Is there a sign-off? Is there a management system in place, whereby it is stated a case is closed and information on it should not be in any arena. The Minister obviously knows that I am speaking about Sergeant McCabe. There should be a system in place, whereby Tusla ticks boxes to state an issue has been fully dealt with.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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What I will say in response to the Deputy's question is that there are systems now in place. At she is aware, I have requested a full review of the systems and processes of Tusla in connection with the issues which she has raised because I also have those concerns. We will scope the terms of reference. It is my intention that this piece of work will be done as quickly as possible.