There are more than 720 children, deemed 'high priority' child protection and welfare cases, who have not been allocated a social worker.

That is according to the Child and Family Agency Tusla's latest figures.

A total of just under 5,000 children, referred to Tusla for child protection and welfare reasons, have not been allocated a social worker.

Of those, 722 are deemed to be of 'high priority.'

They include 170 children in Dublin South Central and 156 in the Dublin South/Kildare/West Wicklow area.

There are also significant numbers in rural areas, such as Donegal, with 63.

Terry Dignan is the chief executive of Empowering People in Care.

“The number is far too high,” he said.

“Every child who is high priority should, as a matter of course, be allocated a social worker but this has been an ongoing issue.

“On the one hand, I think if you go back to 2017, they were far higher – I think it was about 850 – so, on one hand you could say they are reducing.

“But on the other hand, it is not reducing quickly enough and every child who is high priority really has to be allocated a social worker.”

Tusla said that, where there is an immediate risk, a child or young person receives an instant protective response.

It said where a child or young person is awaiting a dedicated social worker, they are supported and monitored until a one is allocated.