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

I thank the Deputy, who makes a reasonable point with regard to the cross-departmental nature of many of the services that affect children. Another way of looking at that is to ask how we should organise our services so that we get the best delivery for children. If the Deputy has not read the task force report on child and family services and how they should operate under the new agency, I would recommend that she do so. The report argues that the way we organise our services is not as friendly to children and families as it needs to be. It recommends that we try to deliver services to customers in a customer-friendly way so that they can readily access the services they need. There is an issue with regard to the structural organisation of some of our services.

In response to the point raised by the Deputy, there is clearly a whole-of-government responsibility to children. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have very specific responsibilities in the areas I outlined earlier, but some issues are cross-departmental. The issue of developmental clinics referred to by the Deputy, for example, is something about which I would be very concerned. As a member of the Government, I share in the collective responsibility when it comes to making decisions on budgetary matters and matters that affect children. I am engaged in detailed discussions with other Cabinet colleagues, through Cabinet sub-committees and through quite a number of inter-departmental working groups on an ongoing basis to ensure better delivery of services. I am also engaged in regular bilateral meetings, such as those currently taking place with the Department of Social Protection on child care services.

There are two answers to the Deputy's question. One relates to how we actually deliver the services at present, what Departments they are organised under and how seamless the services should be. The second relates to the fact that there is a whole-of-government responsibility in terms of child-proofing policies and decisions. The concept of equality-proofing was accepted some time ago but that still has a long way to go. The Government must be sensitive to the cumulative impact of decisions on children and families. I have a particular responsibility to interact with other Ministers in that context.

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