Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I reiterate that I am seeking legal advice on the extent to which I can apprise the Committee on Health and Children or a sub-committee thereof on the recommendations and whether the committee can prepare a report based on that.

In regard to the specific recommendations to which Deputy Ó Caoláin referred, gaps certainly exist in our child welfare and protection service. That is why I have set this as a priority. We have made significant progress over the past 12 months and for the first time a specific person in the health service will have sole responsibility for the implementation of policy on children and families. A taskforce which is due to report in the coming weeks will standardise the way referrals and assessments of children at risk are conducted. The legacy inherited from the health boards has to be overcome, however. The HSE has announced a review of community nursing and further significant improvements will be made to our child welfare and protection services. Next Tuesday I intend to put before the House a report for 2007 arising from section 8 of the Child Care Act.

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