Each garda district should have a social worker

I WELCOME your report and editorial (March 22) in relation to the commitment by the HSE to provide 24-hour cover for the care of children in need.

The commitment is fine, provided the back-up services are put in place.

Social workers do a great job, but they can do little if out-of-hours services are not available to them.

It is nigh impossible to get assistance, particularly late at night when, sadly, family disputes are most likely to erupt.

The gardaí help to the best of their ability, sometimes in very difficult circumstances.

In 1991, I tabled a proposal that Cork County Council request the minister for justice to appoint a social worker in each garda district to work in conjunction with the force.

My proposal was adopted, but never implemented, and now, 17 years later, little has changed. The recruitment of a social worker would be very beneficial not alone to the community and gardaí but most especially to victims and their families.

What I am calling for, even now, is a social worker who will be on the scene with a garda to help in the assessment of the situation from a sociological point of view. The gardaí should not be expected to deliberate on family disputes which could include child abuse, battering of husband or wife, cohabitation and alcoholism.

Counselling should be organised and readily available on a local on-the-spot basis.

Until the State has a sensitive, human social environment in which to deal with these matters, there is no excuse for not recruiting social workers and deploying them in each garda district.

Social workers are to be found in almost every State body, but none is available at garda level where social problems are growing by the day.

I wish the HSE success in its efforts to provide 24-hour cover and hope the Department of Justice will approve my proposal to have a social worker appointed in each garda district.

Cllr Noel Collins

‘St Jude’s’

Midleton

Co Cork