Tusla services in the South-East still impacted by staff vacancies

The Hiqa report said: "Due to the number of vacant social worker posts the service area did not ensure all children received a safe, timely and effective service."

Child Protection and Welfare Services are still affected by staff shortages in the South-East, two years after Tusla flagged it as an issue.

A report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) on the Child Protection and Welfare Service operated by the Child and Family Agency in the Waterford/Wexford service area found there were 279 cases on a waiting list for child protection and welfare services with 118 of these between the point of referral and initial assessment.