Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2015
283. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 255 of 12 June 2014 and the reply dated 30 September 2014, if he will provide, in detail, the expenses claimed by members of staff attending Health Service Executive child care conferences; his views on the number of staff attending these conferences; and the section of the Executive to which they are affiliated. [17855/15]
View answerChild Protection Conferences are inter-agency and inter-professional meetings, convened by a designated person within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. These conferences are convened to facilitate the sharing of information between professionals and parents/carers (where appropriate) when the child is considered at high risk. Such professionals that attend may include the Social Worker, the Principal Social Worker, School Principal, Public Health Nurse, family Doctor, Gardaí and any other professional who knows the child and/or has been involved with the child. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the parents will be invited to attend. If deemed necessary during the meeting, a Child Protection Plan is drawn up and put in place. Child Protection Review Conferences are also held at regular intervals to determine whether the child remains at continuing risk and whether the Child Protection Plan is still required to provide safeguarding.
Tusla has informed me that expenses information is not collected in the format requested by the Deputy and is unable to provide this information to me. The lowest level of analysis of this kind that is available is on the basis of travel expenses per Tusla employee. Tusla has not been able to disaggregate expenses information, in this case, on the basis of attending child protection and child protection review conferences. I have been informed by Tusla that the expenses claimed by staff members who attend conferences are in accordance with the National Financial Regulations, this position is unchanged from the reply I gave to Parliamentary Question No. 255 of 12 June 2014. I have requested information from Tusla as to who is eligible to apply for expenses, and I will revert to the Deputy when it is to hand.
