Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she expects targets for increased numbers of social workers to be reached in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45546/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Implementation Plan for the recommendations of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was accepted by Government and published in July 2009. One of the key recommendations of the Implementation Plan is that an additional 270 additional social workers be recruited by the HSE between 2009 and 2011.

As part of the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2009, my Department has provided written confirmation to the HSE that the general moratorium on recruitment, promotion and the payment of acting up allowances does not apply to specific designated grades, including social worker grades. This moratorium exemption provides for vacancies in existing posts in these grades to continue to be filled. New social workers posts may also be created, up to a specified limit of 270, provided that the HSE is satisfied in each case that there is no scope to redeploy an equivalent post from the hospital sector to the primary and community care sector. This moratorium exemption provides for an increase in the number of such posts, in line with Government policy, in order to meet the requirements of integrated care delivery and primary care needs particularly in respect of children at risk, the elderly and those with disabilities.

A further key action of the Plan which is currently being implemented is the conversion of temporary social work posts to a permanent basis to address issues of continuity of care and staff retention within the child welfare and protection services. The need to recruit further additional social workers beyond this cohort will be considered in the light of progress made in delivering necessary reforms in the child welfare and protection service.