The embattled Minister for Health came in for further criticism yesterday when he was accused of not taking seriously the need for massive investment in child protection and welfare services.
Mr Cowen was also challenged on the funding of the social work service by Labour TD Ms Roisin Shortall. She said she was extremely concerned that there were now over 400 children suspected of having been abused on waiting lists for assessment by social workers in the Eastern Health Board area.
She fears some of these are being left in unsafe situations.
There are 411 suspected cases of child abuse awaiting assignment to a social worker, the board's chief executive officer, Mr Pat McLoughlin, confirmed.
Ms Shortall claims these difficulties are largely as a result of the underfunding and understaffing of the service.
The Eastern Health Board has acknowledged that the number of social workers in the region, which covers Counties Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, needs to be increased to meet current needs.
However the board's chief executive officer confirmed that it was board policy to undertake an initial assessment of all new referrals and to respond to any urgent aspects of a referral immediately.