Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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203. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current number of social workers posts that are vacant; and when these posts will be filled. [11430/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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A total of 1,459 social work posts transferred from the HSE to the Child & Family Agency and 74 positions are currently vacant. The complement transferring was determined following a detailed census and re-classification process undertaken in the HSE during 2013 through which social workers were formally assigned to particular care groups, including child and families services.

A rigorous system of risk analysis is in place in each area to ensure that staffing numbers do not fall to an unsafe level and gaps identified through this process are addressed with the additional resource of temporary staff as required. All identified vacancies are the subject of a recruitment process to ensure their filling at the earliest opportunity.