Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not limiting. This provision is intended to focus on the special and unique relationships between the service delivery systems in the education and health areas with the effective functioning of the child and family agency. Services under the remit of the Departments of Health and Education and Skills must work in tandem with the agency's functions and may, in fact, depend on one another. Hence the focus on these two Departments.

In the case of the Department of Education and Skills, for example, there are important synergies between schools at operational level and the NEWB. In the case of the Department of Health, a very important shared service arrangement is intended to operate between the child and family agency and the HSE. Ongoing consultation between the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will be a feature to ensure that this shared service arrangement works well. There will be an ongoing important relationship between the agency and the Department of Health. In addition, I already consult with my ministerial colleagues in the context of general Cabinet business. Where the development of legislation may have an impact on a range of Departments, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs must ensure, in accordance with Cabinet procedures, that a memorandum for Government is prepared and that adequate time is allowed by the Departments potentially affected for consideration of the potential impact and the return of considered views. This is then followed up at Cabinet level.

It is also standard practice in my Department for the Minister and departmental officials to consult with a range of ministerial colleagues and Departments to ensure an exchange of views and a sharing of experience and knowledge. The Department of Justice and Equality is one such example in the context of vetting and other relevant legislation.

The proposed amendment risks diluting the focus on the agency's core partners. The purpose of this section is to promote the special strategic relationships which are absolutely key to the functioning of the agency in the health and education area. It does not in any way rule out the kind of contact with other Departments which is essential. The key focus is on annual reporting.