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

One of the most useful initiatives we took last year was to republish the Children First guidelines with a manual to ensure people understand the issues when children are at risk and know when to refer children appropriately to child and family support services and child protection services. Significant work has been done by the various agencies involved in this area. Teachers, for example, have done much work to ensure child welfare concerns are referred to the appropriate services. Sporting organisations have also been active and I recently attended a morning organised by the GAA for people from all over the country.

The usual procedure for Departments is that individual cases would be referred to the Health Service Executive and child and family services. This is how children in such circumstances are identified in the first instance. In terms of policy issues, which I understand are what the Deputy has in mind, a great deal of cross-departmental work is being done. Bullying is one area where Departments are taking joint initiatives to ensure a cross-departmental approach is taken. Such an approach will succeed in helping children.

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