Agency for children may seek more funds

The board of the Child and Family Support Agency will demand more funds from the Government if a review of social worker caseloads due in the autumn indicates a shortage of resources.

Norah Gibbons, chairwoman designate of the new agency, told the Oireachtas committee on health and children yesterday that there were 40,000 referrals to child welfare and support services in the past year.

Ms Gibbons also expressed concerns over the welfare of children living in the direct provision asylum seeker system and said a report on a new out-of-hours service would be launched in the coming months.