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

199. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has available to her the necessary expertise, staffing levels and resources to address issues facing children now and likely to affect them in the future based on research available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7391/19]

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

The Deputy's question is broad based. It is concerned with the general adequacy of resources overall to meet existing and future issues facing children.

I am very appreciative of the support which I have received from Government over recent years in increasing the Vote of my Department. Budget 2019 represented another very significant and visible commitment to children and families. In the case of my Department, the gross amount of funding being made available in 2019 is €1.510 billion, an increase of 8% over 2018 and 33% over 2016.

In terms of manpower, since my appointment as Minister there has been a 54% increase in staffing in my Department from 181 employees to a current staffing level of 279 people. The increase in staffing numbers reflects the continuing growth in the responsibilities of my Department and has included the recruitment of a number of specialists with expertise, drawn from professional streams across a number of disciplines.

The Deputy will appreciate that it is difficult to speculate as to the adequacy of the existing resources in terms of issues likely to affect children in future years. I am confident that the significant additional resources secured over recent years is enabling my Department, and its agencies, to address key issues and challenges currently affecting children's lives. My Department, through ongoing policy and research, is continuously planning for future challenges and is keenly aware of the importance of this work.