Letters to the Editor: Tackling the ongoing shortage of social workers
'If everybody were to squash the container before binning it then each bin could take considerably more litter.' Pictue: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
Fergus Finlay wrote last week about the lack of social workers in Ireland. His comments follow the much-publicised interview of three members of the judiciary, and what Finlay describes as their âfrustration and anxietyâ expressed in the resulting âpage-long cry from the heartâ in a national newspaper recently.
Mr Finlay is correct in his summary of the core of the problem, stating: âIt starts with one simple, commonplace fact. Weâre not creating enough [social workers]â and âuntil thatâs recognised, and fixed, thereâll always be a crisisâ. Around 250 social workers graduate in Ireland every year. Ireland needs to be producing at least double that number.
Mr Finlay is not totally correct, however, in his assessment of reasons for the ongoing crisis, and what should be done about it. He cites a âclosed shop mentalityâ in the profession and calls on Government to â⊠issue a simple instruction to the higher education sector ⊠[to] immediately treble the number of places being offered on these coursesâ.
If only it were that straightforward. To begin with, there is a severe lack of information and no single body collating relevant data and research on even the most basic facts, such as how many social workers are employed and where, much less a cohesive strategy to address the issues.
The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) published a report in 2022, âTraining, Recruiting and Retaining Social Workers in Irelandâ, the first such detailed analysis, including clear recommendations for action. Since then, the All Social Work Employers group has been formed, working closely with the universities, the IASW, and others to solve the problems in question, which are solvable.
Already, some of those programmes find it increasingly difficult to fill the existing number of places each year. One major factor is the high cost of fees (over âŹ10,000 per year on an MSW in some universities) and the increasingly challenging cost of living in general. In addition, social workers students have to undertake two full-time bloc practice placements of up to 14 weeks, for which they are not paid and yet often have increased costs, such as travel. IASW has called on the Department of Further and Higher Education for an appropriate allowance to be paid to social work students while they are on placement.
Another very practical initiative to actively increase the number of social workers in Ireland is the new Apprenticeship in Social Work, launched this year, which is currently recruiting 47 apprentices (due to double from next year), with the academic element of the programme starting in UCC this September. The two-year apprenticeship model basically provides participants with the opportunity to âearn while they learn,â achieving masters level qualifications and guaranteed employment throughout. There have been more than five applicants for every apprenticeship place on this yearâs first intake. This is the kind of focused, collaborative, and productive action that is needed to address the crisis in social worker numbers.
While Fergus Finlay adding his voice to this debate is helpful, there is little to be gained in the blame game and everything to be achieved by identifying and developing practical and workable solutions.
I notice that many litter bins outside shops are overflowing with plastic drink bottles and disposable cups. These drink containers are full of air and it does not take long before the bin is full and overflowing. If everybody were to squash the container before binning it then each bin could take considerably more litter. This would save on the inevitable littering from overflowing bins. I would suggest a national âsquash it and bin itâ campaign be initiated forthwith.
Isnât it amazing that we can deploy 40 members of An Garda SĂochĂĄna to Paris, yet we cannot deploy the same number to patrol our streets, towns or cities? Time after time we have seen Garda members deployed to venues such as Euros 2024 in Germany, the Rugby World Cup, and Disneyland Paris but to our abject frustration and amazement we donât see similar foot deployment around our main cities, large towns, or villages.
We also have middle and upper rank members acting as Garda liaison officers in Madrid, Paris, London, The Hague, Bogota, and Washington.
In July 2022 Helen McEntee, the justice minister, approved the creation of two posts for Garda liaison officers in Abu Dhabi and Bangkok. Then thereâs the assignment of a second liaison officer to Washington and two to the French national police.
All of these assignments cost money that ultimately comes out of the Garda budget, overseen by the commissioner. The deployment of gardaĂ abroad acts only as observer status equivalent to a holiday rep.
How can this minister or commissioner justify the assigning of large swathes of gardaĂ abroad, which one will see as an expensive junket, when frontline gardaĂ and the public at large are crying out for more deployment in their own areas to stop extreme violence and criminality?
First we had Armagh footballers winning the All-Ireland final for only the second time. Now we have swimmer Daniel Wiffen winning a gold medal in the Olympics. What a truly historic week it has been for the Orchard county. Comhghairdeas le Daniel agus leis an bhfoireann peile.
John Glennon, Wicklow
In her column Sarah Harte writes: âIt should never be for the faithful of any religion to dictate as some moral majority or for the state to impose theologyâ â âEvangelical right in US is running forward to take America backwardâ (Irish Examiner, July 31). She may have a point, but it shouldnât be assumed that laws with some sort of ancient ecclesiastical connection are automatically devoid of inherent logic.
The trendy and euphemistic term âreproductive rightsâ is used in her article as if somehow there are no victims when such rights are exercised. Maybe sometime, consideration might be given to an article on what has become, the imposition of a potential death sentence on all defenceless unborn life by secular moral majorities, and the denial by states of automatic rights to expectant fathers, over the life prospects of their unborn offspring.
It could be said that Donald Trump sees everything in black and white. Itâs probably true that the public either loves or hates him.
How can he say that Kamala Harrisâ identity has changed as âshe happened to turn blackâ and to say that in front of people at the National Association of Black Journalists convention is not only offensive but stupid politically in that he wants to appeal to as many people as possible.
Why are many politicians, or specifically one politician, so divisive in what they say and what they intend to do?
They say ârich men do not go to jailâ. That seems to be very true when it comes to Conor McGregor whose latest criminality involved dangerous driving at very high speeds. For these serious road traffic offences he was given a suspended sentence of five months, two years off the road, and a fine which is a pittance of his overall wealth.
This is despite the fact that the judge described what was âan appalling series of breaches of road traffic rules and an appalling incident of dangerous drivingâ. The judge was considering an âoutright custodial sentenceâ, but the fact that he had business interests and created employment were given as reasons to mitigate a custodial sentence.
According to evidence gardaĂ gave to the court, they had to pursue McGregor at over 160kmh to catch him in a bus lane. When asking the sports star to step out of his vehicle, gardaĂ had to ask several times before he complied, according to evidence given. McGregor also has 20 previous convictions, 17 of which are road traffic offences. Who the hell does this guy think he is, given the many tragedies on our roads? Why did it not result in incarceration? Conor McGregor is a disgrace to our road safety campaign.
