Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 65: To ask the Minister for Health and Children with regard to the Government's decision to hire an additional 270 social workers, the number that have been recruited to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41979/10]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Implementation Plan approved by Government, arising from the findings of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse committed to the recruitment of an additional 270 social workers before the end of 2011.

The Government provided an amount of €15m in 2010 to advance the actions in the Implementation Plan, including the recruitment of an additional 200 social work posts in 2010. The recruitment of these additional social workers was provided for in the HSE Service Plan 2010. The filling of social work vacancies and the recruitment of additional social workers was exempted from the current public sector recruitment moratorium.

The latest available information from the HSE's Employment Census for September, shows an increase of 93 social work posts in 2010, an increase of 43 over the figure for August. The HSE has advised that there is a time lag between individuals taking up duty and their inclusion in the HSE Employment Census. In this regard the HSE has further advised that contracts have issued in respect of all 200 approved posts. My Department has been assured by the HSE that all 200 additional social workers will be in place by year end.