The Minister referred to constant supervision — I presume that by that he means constant social worker supervision — being made available in relation to children at risk. Might I draw the Minister's attention to the fact that there is considerable public disquiet regarding the level of supervision and could the Minister indicate what constant supervision means? On how many occasions, for instance, would a family in which there were children at risk be visited by a social worker?

That would be a matter for the judgment of the professional staff involved. The social workers and other community care workers operate as a team in that respect.

I would remind the Minister that in 1981 three children died as a result of non-accidental injuries. There were two court cases in 1981 arising out of the deaths of young children in which parents were convicted of criminal offences. There is one case pending this year. I suggest it is a public scandal that three children are dead as a consequence of non-accidental injuries, of injuries that were inflicted by their parents. Is the Minister concerned about this? Does such a situation not indicate that either the level of supervision is insufficient or that the criteria applied in determining whether children are at risk is inadequate and should be investigated.

The Deputy asks that question specifically in the next question so perhaps he will wait until I have given the reply to that other question.

The Minister has said that children at risk are provided with supervision but he has not clarified the extent of such supervision.

The word he used was "observed".

To what extent, then, are children at risk observed?

This operates on the competence of the community care team and not only on their supervision and observation but also on the information that comes to them from other workers within the community. I am familiar with cases where, for instance, the supervisor of home helps often brings to light cases of children who are at risk. Therefore, there is co-ordination and co-operation between members of the community care teams and other workers in the community in keeping an eye on such cases.

Can the Minister confirm that, if a member of the public reports an instance in which he thinks a child is at risk, that child's name automatically is put on the at-risk list? I am aware of cases in which such situations arise at weekends when members of the professional staffs are not available with the result that by the time the child is examined there is no evidence of non-accidental injury.

As I indicated in reply to an earlier question, as soon as a member of the public brings any such case to the attention of a member of the community care team, the matter is then considered. Obviously, the case should be followed up at that stage, but if the Deputy knows of instances in which there is not follow up I should like to have the specific details concerned.

10.