Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 4

Written Answers. - Child Abuse.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

56 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there has been a 78 per cent increase in referrals of suspected cases of child abuse in the Eastern Health Bord area since 1992 and that there were 379 cases on the waiting list for social work intervention at the end of December 1997; the additional funding, if any, he will provide in 1998 to adequately deal with this urgent situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10245/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

Since 1993 the child care policy unit, in consultation with the eight health boards, has launched a major programme of developments in child care services. An additional £50 million approximately in ongoing funding has been provided during this period and over 900 new posts for child care services have been created. In 1998 the additional allocation to the Eastern Health Board was £5.129 million.

The Eastern Health Board has experienced a 78 per cent increase in referrals of suspected child abuse between 1992 and 1996. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that waiting lists are not an accurate measure of need. They do not provide any systematic objective information about the nature of the cases. Providing extra resources solely to reduce waiting lists, without any systematic reviews or system of prioritisation, does not achieve a more efficient management of resources.