Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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287. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she has taken to improve child protection services, given the findings for Counties Louth and Meath in the Health Information and Quality Authority 2015 children protection and welfare inspection report; her views on the follow-up reports completed regarding these counties; and if she will increase the frequency of inspections from once every three years, particularly when there are significant failures identified in the inspection reports, as in these counties. [16530/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, there were a number of significant risks identified by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) following the inspection of Child Welfare & Protection services in the Louth/Meath area in January 2015. It should be noted that HIQA was satisfied with the approach taken by the Child and Family Agency, Tusla and the area management to address the issues at the time of the inspection. Tusla's commitment to addressing the issues in Louth/Meath was also evidenced in the implementation of a rapid improvement programme in the area, in addition to the normal action plan that follows an inspection. Many of the actions listed in the action plan associated with the inspection had been completed before HIQA's report was published in June 2015. I have requested a further update on the ongoing improvements in the area from Tusla, and I will revert to the Deputy when this is to hand.

My officials have regular meetings on a monthly and quarterly basis with Tusla management to review the overall level of service provision, including areas in need of improvement. The effect of the rapid improvement programme in the Louth/Meath area is being monitored and I am pleased to note that the figures reported from the area on the numbers of open cases allocated to a dedicated social worker show an increase from 58% in May 2015 to over 90% of cases allocated in March 2016.

Both Tusla and my Department are committed to the ongoing improvement of child protection services, including areas where specific issues have been identified. HIQA, as an independent body, makes its decisions on the timing of inspections using a risk based approach, and it may carry out any further inspections as it considers appropriate. Between May 2013 and May 2016 HIQA has published inspections of the child protection services in 15 of the 17 Tusla administrative areas. Inspection reports on the remaining 2 areas are expected to be published later this year.

For the information of the Deputy, I can advise that HIQA is undertaking a thematic review of the service to children and families through Child Welfare & Protection Services, and that the field work for this thematic review is underway. This process will see the completion of inspections of child welfare and protection service in the remaining two administrative areas during 2016, and a review of the implementation of action taken to address HIQA's inspection findings. This review will also examine the governance arrangements for the provision of Child Welfare & Protection services.

It should also be noted that Tusla is receiving significant additional resources in 2016. Tusla has been provided with additional funding of €38m in Budget 2016, including funding of over €6 million to reduce the number of cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. A significant recruitment programme for additional social workers is underway. As part of its Business Plan for this year, Tusla has committed to a number of key targets to be achieved by the end of 2016. Tusla has made progress in its targets.