Results 5,801-5,820 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: That is one element of it. Is that agreed? Agreed. I will move on to the next petition. The next petition for consideration is Petition No. P00036/18 from Mr. Paul Kavanagh. The petition concerns the Fermoy weir on the River Blackwater in County Cork. I propose that we correspond with Cork County Council to ask for an update on the status of this issue and that we would forward a copy...

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: The issue concerns the collapse of the weir on the River Blackwater in Fermoy. It is also in respect of the imposition or construction of a fish pass. There is a suggested breach of boat structures, which have to be repaired. There is also the question of whether Ireland is in compliance with EU directives in respect of the safe migration of fish, particularly salmon. That is causing...

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: It is a significant undertaking.

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: We have agreed the proposals in respect of that petition. The next petition for consideration is Petition No. P0008/19 from Mr. Darragh Fitzgerald. His petition would like to see the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act extended to the Office of the President. Do any members wish to comment?

Committee on Public Petitions: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: What we propose is that we correspond with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ask for an update on the issue, when available, with a view to reviewing this within a six-month timeframe. We will forward a copy of the response from the Department to the petitioner and inform him that the petition remains open. That speaks partly to the concerns that have been agreed. Is that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the witnesses for being here today. This meeting is certainly assisting us in understanding the dynamic between the IFCA, the people it represents, and officialdom. How would the witnesses characterise the IFCA's relationship with Tusla? Is it a positive relationship? Does the IFCA leadership feel it is being listened to and its recommendations are bearing some fruit?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: The witnesses noted that foster carers do not have a link social worker. That suggests to me that there is a big gap. The foster carer and the child have the right to a social worker. Could the risk increase dramatically if the relationship between the carer and the child deteriorates in any way? If we do not have an accurate figure for how many of the 5,000 children in foster care...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: The theme here is recruitment and retention. We are trying to plug that gap, so to speak. If there is no link social worker for a particular family and issues arise for the foster carer or the child, the risk is offset by a mechanism allowing the foster carer to contact the IFCA via the helpline. Does recourse exist for a child where he or she is at risk? We assume the relationship is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: If I understand Mr. Murphy correctly, some foster carers do not have a link social worker and as such they do not have access to supports as required. If I interpret that correctly, he is saying there are gaps. Does the IFCA have a numerical analysis of the gaps? How many children are without a link social worker at present?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: There is nobody in the system who is literally cast adrift.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: This discussion is all about developing our understanding of the dynamic. Who exactly is on the foster care committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: I refer again to recruitment and retention. The former Deputy Pat Rabbitte is now chair of Tusla. He came before the committee some weeks ago and the recruitment and retention of social workers was a key area that he wanted to discuss. In parallel with the IFCA, he also raised bridging education that would upskill social care staff. If people have identified this as an issue that has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: It was suggested that bursaries could be provided by Tusla.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: Demand for foster care places is increasing. The figures are approximately 6,000 in care and 5,000 in foster care. How do we encourage people to become foster carers or foster parents, to use that expression? Where is the gap and why are more people not taking up that challenge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: Would Ms Bond characterise the challenges that foster carers face at the moment as being extremely difficult in the main? The perception I have is that for foster carers, the placement can be quite difficult if they do not have supports. Presumably foster carers are constantly fighting with the HSE and Tusla for additional services.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: I sincerely thank the witnesses for being here today. Five minutes do not do justice to the wider submission IFCA supplied to the committee and I sincerely thank them for articulating a way forward for us, as a committee, to deal with the issues of recruitment and retention. I also thank Ms McGuirk for defending her colleagues because we live in times where it is easy to beat up on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: The local elections are coming if Mr. McCarthy wants to put on the jersey.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: I appreciate the point that Mr. McCarthy is making, but to assist us and notwithstanding the fact that I made a lot of points to him earlier, where for instance a case comes in, is triaged and goes on for further assessments, if the case goes to court and a care order is required, I have a number of questions arising from that. I will be as brief as possible, allowing for the amount of time...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Recruitment and Retention of Social Workers: Discussion (27 Mar 2019)

Seán Sherlock: Is the social worker, however, subject to cross-examination?