Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the Health Service Executive's child protection services are properly resourced to carry out all their competing functions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22058/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Children's services provided by the HSE aim to promote and protect the health and well being of vulnerable children and families. A wide range of services are provided including early years services, family support services, child protection services, alternative care, services for homeless youth, search and reunion (post adoption) services, psychological services, child and adolescent psychiatric services, registration and inspection of children's residential centres in the voluntary sector and monitoring of children's residential centres in the voluntary and statutory sectors.

The HSE service plan for 2009, which was approved by the Minister for Health & Children on 9 December 2008, envisages that Child and Family service provision in 2009 will be in line with that provided in 2008. In her letter of approval, the Minister asked the Board and management of the HSE to pay particular attention in 2009 to the absolute necessity for the HSE to operate within the limits of its Voted allocation in delivering, at minimum, the levels of service specified in the service plan. I will be working with the HSE to try to ensure that provision of these important services to some of the most vulnerable members of our society can be maintained at existing levels notwithstanding the ongoing budgetary adjustments aimed at restoring balance to the public finances. Implementation of the service plan will be monitored formally throughout 2009 by means of regular monitoring reports to the Department of Health and Children.

As regards human resource issues I would point out that social workers are exempted from the Government's moratorium on recruitment. In addition, proposals for an ICT system to support social work services for children has received HSE approval and is with the Department of Finance for review. If approved, the objective is to have this system operating as quickly as possible to enable better exchange of information and improved communication between relevant staff throughout the HSE.