Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of social workers employed within child services in the Health Service Executive broken down by HSE division; the number of whom who are on sabbatical leave; and the number of those replaced broken down by HSE division. [40717/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE compiles a monthly census of employment in the public health and social care sector. The figures indicate that the total number of WTE social workers employed in the Children and Families Service area of the HSE was 1,300 at the end of July 2012, which is the latest month for which data is available. The figures for the Children and Families Service area as broken down by HSE region are as follows:

The National Employment Monitoring Unit within the HSE has advised that work is ongoing with regard to disaggregating the Children and Families resource base from the HSE as part of the process of establishing the new Child and Family Support Agency next year. Consequently the number of social workers assigned to the Children and Families Service area may change as the mapping/classification of posts into care groups is further refined between now and year end.

The HSE has advised that approval was sought and granted to fill any vacancy which arose as a result of a career break on the basis that it was both financially and employment ceiling neutral. The HSE has advised that the current position with regard to career breaks in two of the HSE regions is as follows:

- HSE Dublin North East Region:- There are thirteen social workers on career breaks and all of these posts have been replaced.

- HSE West:- There are six social workers on career break and four have been replaced to date.

Information regarding the position in the HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster region and the HSE South region has been sought from the HSE. This information will be provided to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.