Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has said it regrets that a number of planned improvements at a boys' residential centre in the south of the country have not progressed as quickly as scheduled.
The agency also announced that the centre's controversial canteen will no longer be used from the end of this month.
It was responding to HIQA's largely critical report on last May's inspection of the facility.
The move follows criticism by the independent watchdog of the institutional nature of the centralised dining area.
Residents, who are admitted when aged between 12 and 16, told inspectors they wanted to eat their meals in each of the facility's three units rather than in the canteen.
No new residents admitted
The centre ceased admitting new residents this time last year following an earlier highly critical report by the watchdog.
It now accommodates six residents despite having a capacity for more than twice that number.
But today's report states that staffing arrangements have remained the same as when 15 children lived there.
It highlights that on only three of the 14 days prior to the inspection were all six children living on campus.
On the other days, between one and five were present because some were staying at home with their families.
The report says that despite these reductions in demand, six agency staff continued to be used to fill staff vacancies.
Care staff told inspectors they were becoming deskilled due to the overstaffing and the centre's interim service manager acknowledged that agency staff were not needed and promised to review this practice with care managers.
Tusla's statement says that deficits identified by HIQA in management and staffing will be addressed in the context of the service's re-structuring.
Tusla says some areas still need improvement
Donal McCormack, Tusla's National Service Director for Children's Residential Services, said HIQA inspections are an important measurement and oversight tool for the agency.
"Children's residential services aim to provide a physically, emotionally and psychologically appropriate space in which children and young people can heal, develop and move forward in their lives," he added.
Mr McCormack said the inspection report published today states that every young person at the centre had an allocated social worker and that its residents were advocated for.
However, he conceded that a number of areas still require improvement and said a Tusla oversight group has been actively addressing them.
"Further improvements will be made in the coming months, as detailed in a comprehensive action plan which has been submitted to HIQA," the National Service Director said.
