Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

885. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department has the necessary resources to protect children at risk in various institutions, including unaccompanied minor refugees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24040/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tusla has been provided with additional funding of €38m in Budget 2016, including additional funding of over €6 million to reduce the number of cases awaiting allocation of a social worker. As part of its Business Plan for this year, Tusla has committed to a number of key targets to achieve by the end of 2016 to reduce the number of cases waiting to be allocated a social worker. It should be noted that unaccompanied minors seeking asylum are treated the same as any other child in care, and are placed in foster and residential care placements. In 2015 there were a total of 82 unaccompanied minors placed in care in Ireland.

Key to reducing the number of cases awaiting allocation to a social worker, and the associated risk, is the recruitment of staff, including additional social workers and support personnel. Tusla has been provided with additional resources to do this. Tusla has set a target to recruit an additional 168 WTE additional social workers this year and the recruitment campaign is now well underway.

Officials in my Department meet with the Tusla senior management team on a monthly basis and review progress in the recruitment and retention of social workers and other key personnel. My Department has already commenced discussions regarding Tusla's budget requirements for 2017.

The Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) has been resourced to inspect all Tusla Child Welfare & Protection services, Foster Care services, including non-statutory providers, and all Tusla run residential centres. It should be noted that HIQA has inspected all Child Welfare and Protection services in the 17 areas, with the final two inspection reports awaiting publication.