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

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is engaged in consideration of budget 2013 and it would be inappropriate for me to comment in detail on budgetary discussions. My Department works in close partnership with other Departments on a range of cross-cutting issues in regard to both policy and provision as they relate to children and young people. I also point to the fact that my Department is in the process of developing a new children and young people's policy framework and that it is intended this overarching policy document will provide a seamless, whole-of-childhood approach to policy-making, including budgetary decision-making, for children and young people across the whole of government in the period 2013-18.

As regards the published 2012 Estimates for my Department, the Deputy might note that the full gross allocation for 2012 stands at just under €427 million, of which €418 million relates to current funding and the remainder to capital funding. Given the number of key priorities facing my Department which include establishing the new Child and Family Support Agency, holding a constitutional referendum on children's rights and the continued provision of the free preschool year in early childhood care and education, the resource allocation represents a 2% increase in funding when compared to the Estimates outturn of €419 million for 2011.

That shows the priority attached to the delivery of the programmes which come under my own Department. I was very pleased to obtain capital funding of €6 million towards child care this year. The Deputy will also be aware of the money that has been agreed and given by the Government so that we can take children out of St. Patrick's Institution. The capital fund for that is quite substantial.

With regard to my own direct remit, the Deputy will be aware of the child and family support programme, which includes funding for the Family Support Agency, the National Education Welfare Board, the school completion programme and child detention centres. With regard to early childhood, we have the free preschool year, and we also support a range of programmes including the national longitudinal study of children in Ireland, the national children's strategy, the lottery funding scheme, provision for the Ombudsman for Children, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the constitutional referendum on children's rights, which will take place next month. That summarises the range of resources in my Department.

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