Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 603: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will approve the hiring of additional social workers alongside the 270 social workers committed to as part of the implementation plan of the Ryan report. [22076/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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1The provision of an additional 270 social workers is one of the actions provided for in the Ryan Report Implementation Plan. The HSE completed the recruitment of 200 additional social workers in 2010. The HSE National Service Plan includes provision for the recruitment of an additional 60 social workers in 2011. It is the intention of the HSE to fill the remaining 10 posts in 2012.

In addition to the recruitment of the additional staff, the HSE has also been filling social work vacancies which have arisen due to individuals leaving the service, e.g. due to retirements.

The filling of social work vacancies and the recruitment of additional social workers was exempted from the current public sector recruitment moratorium. The need to recruit further additional social workers will be considered in the light of demand, availability of necessary resources and progress made in delivering necessary reforms in the area of child welfare and protection.