Vol. 511 No. 3
51 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the assessment, if any, his Department has carried out on the number of additional probation and welfare officers which will be required for the full implementation of the Children Bill, 1999; the steps, if any, he has taken to ensure that adequate number of students are in training in order to meet this need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24330/99]
My Department in consultation with the Probation and Welfare Service has carried out a full assessment on the number of additional probation and welfare officers which will be required for the full implementation of the Children Bill 1999.
The staffing requirements are significant and recruitment will be intensified over the next two years. Side by side with recruitment is the recognition that the present number of persons qualified or qualifying may not be sufficient to meet requirements so the Probation and Welfare Service has been in discussion with one third level institution with a view to establishing a course and it is proposed to discuss training needs with other colleges in the coming months.
