asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is taking concrete steps to ensure that persons who qualify as social workers in Irish universities obtain remunerative employment in Irish social services in which their talents can be used advantageously to improve the standard and scope of social services; and the number of persons in each of the last five years who (a) so qualified in Irish universities and (b) were employed in Irish social services.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Workers.
44.
Graduates in social science or in social studies from Irish universities are employed in a variety of posts by the State, by local authorities, by voluntary bodies, by hospitals, by the universities. The functions allocated to me as Minister for Social Welfare do not include responsibility for the placing in employment of those graduates. I am not in a position to give the information sought in the latter part of the Deputy's question.
Could the Minister say whether his Department have ever recruited qualified social workers from the university as such?
There are no such people in the Department but there is nothing to debar them from competing for positions.
Would the Minister not consider it desirable that people with such qualifications should be recruited into the Department which are supposed to be concerned with developing services for the betterment of people in our society?
When vacancies arise either they do not qualify for the posts or do not apply for them—I do not know which.
And the Minister does not care.
I cannot make them apply.