Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on the number of posts for child and family social workers that have been filled in 2012; if she will confirm the number of child and family social workers working in County Galway, including city; and if she will confirm the increase, if any, in the number of social workers nationally since the publication of the Ryan Report. [54451/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Figures supplied by the HSE indicate that the number of whole time equivalent (WTE) social workers employed in the children and families area was 1,300 at the end of July 2012. In advance of the establishment of the new Child and Family Support Agency, work is ongoing regarding the disaggregation of the children and families resource base from the HSE. Consequently the number of social workers assigned to the care group will be subject to change as the mapping/classification of posts is further refined.

The HSE has made considerable progress since the publication of the Ryan Report Implementation Plan in 2009 in the recruitment of additional social workers. Over 260 social workers have been recruited arising from implementation of the Report's Recommendations. The National Director of Children and Family Services, Gordon Jeyes, will continue to apply his discretion to the filling of vacant posts, taking account of identified need and subject to services being delivered within available resources. My Department has sought the additional information requested by the Deputy from the HSE. I will provide the Deputy with the information when it becomes available.