Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

The Ryan implementation report set a deadline of December 2010 for the previous Government to draft legislation putting Children First on a statutory footing. This was accepted by the Deputy's party when in government and it is regrettable it did not meet that deadline. I have, however, made much progress in drafting this legislation.

Putting Children First on a statutory basis will effectively put the reporting requirements contained in the Children First guidance which will be published on Friday. The approach underlined in this guidance will be reflected in the legislation. As I stated in my reply, the important element in the Children First guidelines is not just that people must report cases of child abuse, but also co-operate with other agencies. The guidance outlines a whole way of working to protect children. It is important this is also reflected in the legislation. This is just not about reporting but about an approach to the work that ensures consistency.

The Deputy is concerned that this may lead to a bureaucratic approach. As I stated last week when I reported to the Joint Committee on Health and Children, consistency is missing in the implementation of child protection guidelines. I am pleased the director of family services in the Health Service Executive, Mr. Gordon Jeyes, will have an implementation plan for these guidelines.

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