Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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432. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps which have been taken by Tusla - Child and Family Agency to address concerns raised by the Health Information and Quality Authority in its 2013 inspection report on child and family services in County Roscommon; if the service is now fully compliant with all standards inspected, and if not, if he will provide details of the outstanding issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30225/15]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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433. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of referrals to the child and family services in County Roscommon that are awaiting an initial assessment; the number that are designated as high-priority; the current waiting time to assess each category; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30226/15]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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434. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of referrals to the child and family services in County Galway that are awaiting an initial assessment; the number that are designated as high-priority; the current waiting time to assess each category; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30227/15]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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435. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of cases currently ongoing with the child and family services in County Roscommon, which have a social worker allocated; the number which are awaiting the allocation of a social worker; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30228/15]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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436. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of cases currently ongoing with the child and family services in County Galway, which have a social worker allocated; the number which are awaiting the allocation of a social worker; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30229/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 432 to 436, inclusive, together.

As outlined in my reply to the Deputy on 18 December last, the Health Information and Quality Authority carried out an inspection of the Co. Roscommon child welfare and protection services of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The report in respect of monitoring against national standards was published in July 2014. This inspection report indicated that the service was well managed and that key staff provided appropriate leadership in the context of the transition from the HSE to Tusla. It also found that children received a child-centred child protection and welfare service which supported them in the key decisions about their safety and welfare. The associated action plan was accepted by HIQA and Tusla has informed me that the actions had been largely completed by October 2014. The inspection and the action plan are both published by HIQA on their website.

The data provided to us by Tusla is not disaggregated at county level, but is provided grouped in 17 administrative areas. In relation to referrals it is important to note that not all referrals would progress to initial assessment. In the last quarter of 2014, Tusla has informed me that there were 809 referrals of a child welfare and protection nature made in the Galway/Roscommon area and that 40% of these required an initial assessment to be carried out.

Figures on the allocation of social workers are available by area to me up to the end of the first quarter of 2015. These show that there were 1,194 cases allocated in the Galway/Roscommon with 309 awaiting allocation of a dedicated social worker, a reduction of 18% on the final quarter of 2014. Of these cases awaiting allocation, 128 cases were reported as high priority, with 167 cases reported as medium and 14 cases as low priority. I wish to assure the Deputy that those cases awaiting allocation are responded to by a duty team on a risk management basis. During this time, specific pieces of work on the child's case may be undertaken by staff working in the duty system. Nationally, Tusla has been preparing a national review of cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. This review will inform the overall approach by Tusla for the budget and deployment of social work staff into the future.

In an update on the HIQA inspection and action plan provided to the Deputy earlier this year, Tusla informed me that there were some remaining steps to be taken on one action. This involved formalising monthly meetings with social work team leaders and family support leaders, and ensuring that the day to day operations of the service reflect the local statement of purpose. I have asked Tusla for an update on the status of the remaining item from the action plan in Galway/Roscommon and I will revert to the Deputy when this is to hand.