merrion street

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, TD today welcomed the progress made by the HSE in delivering on its commitment to recruit 60 additional social work staff this year as recommended in the Ryan Report. These posts been exempted from the moratorium on recruitment and filling of vacancies.

Minister Fitzgerald stated: "In line with the Programme for Government I am committed to implementing the recommendations of the Ryan Report. Earlier this year I personally took over the Chair of the Ryan Report Implementation Group.

"The Ryan Report Implementation Plan committed to the recruitment of an additional 60 social workers in 2011. The latest available information from the HSE indicates that 58 of these posts have been either filled or accepted.

"The delivery of this important commitment, despite the pressures on the HSE to pause recruitment during 2011, shows the absolute commitment and determination of the Government & I to deliver improved child protection and family support services as part of our ongoing ‘change agenda’.

"These additional social workers will be targeted at priority areas of the service having regard to an overall assessment of workload undertaken by the HSE’s National Director of Children and Family services, Gordon Jeyes to support the ‘change agenda’.

Minister Fitzgerald also added "I am pleased to have succeeded in ensuring that 60 social workers were recruited thus fulfilling the Ryan report recommendation and delivering on a commitment I made earlier this year."