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

The date of transfer of services is 1 January 2013. We will have work to do in the Dáil in advance of that date, but we have said all along that the agency will begin as a separate entity from 1 January 2013. It should progress, depending on the introduction of legislation in the House and the making of decisions on the governance structure and its development.

It is clear that the core services to which I referred earlier when replying to Deputy Troy will be transferred to the new agency in the first instance. I will be bringing a memo to Government in respect of this matter shortly in order that we might discuss the findings and recommendations contained in the report of the task force. Some of the recommendations have implications in the context of the way in which services are delivered. As a result of the fact that a number of Departments will be involved, the Government as a whole will be obliged to make a decision on this matter. There is not yet an exact timeframe with regard to the transfer of some other services. However, it is important that the services which will be available from the new agency will be those which families need and use and which are of most benefit to them. It will, of course, be a matter of developing strong links to certain services rather than moving them directly into the agency. The task force has pointed out that there are certain key services which it is not planned to bring under the remit of the new agency but which ought to be under its direct control. We will be able to discuss that matter when the legislation is introduced.

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