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

Work is well advanced on the establishment of the new child and family agency. Last week,as part of the ongoing preparatory work, the Government approved, on my recommendation, the appointment of Ms Norah Gibbons as first chairperson of the board of the agency. Ms Gibbons has proven herself to be a true champion for reform of children’s services and one of Ireland's leading advocates for children. I believe she will bring great enthusiasm and experience to this new role. In preparation for the formal establishment of the new agency it is my intention to appoint Ms Gibbons as chair of the existing Family Support Agency, one of the constituent bodies to be merged into the child and family agency. In line with the practice established by this Government, Ms Gibbons will appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children in advance of her taking up her position. I wish her every success and look forward to many positive and productive engagements with her.

I also intend to publicly seek expressions of interest through the www.publicjobs.ie website for the remaining members of the Family Support Agency board. The selection of these board members will reflect the enhanced role being given to this board in overseeing, on an administrative basis, the governance and organisational preparations for the new agency.

Drafting of the legislation to establish the agency is progressing well in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel. Work is at an advanced stage and I expect to receive the draft legislation very shortly and to bring the content to Government for approval prior to publication. This will happen during this Dáil term. It is very comprehensive legislation, providing as it does for the subsuming of functions from three separate agencies, namely, the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board, and reassigning, under law, the sensitive and complex legal responsibilities which arise with regard to the care and protection of children and the promotion of their welfare. I intend to provide adequate time for consultation on this important legislation, both within this House and with stakeholders.

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