Social worker shortage: 50 neglect cases not probed

UP to 50 cases of serious child neglect reported to gardaí in Galway have not been investigated due to a shortage of social workers.

Fine Gael Senator, Fidelma Healy Eames, has said Galway has the lowest ratio of social workers per head of population ratio in the country and that vacant posts remain unfilled.

Her criticism comes on the first day of the nationwide industrial action by IMPACT over the HSE’s failure to hire new staff.