Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the wider issue the Deputy raised, it is correct that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has been in place for two years but a hell of a lot of progress has been made in those two years. We are at the point where legislation is about to be introduced. As I indicated to Deputy Martin, the Children First guidelines will be placed on a statutory basis and a regime will be introduced whereby child care facilities will not only have to be notified to the Health Service Executive, as is currently the case, but will have to be registered with the child and family agency, which is in the process of being established. The reports of the inspections will be published and work to prepare for the publication of inspection reports has been under way for some time. This work did not wait for the television programme to be broadcast. Arrangements are also being made for inspections to be carried out nationwide.

There is an absolute determination on the part of the Government, in particular, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, to deal not only with the problems highlighted in the "Prime Time" programme, but also issues that have been highlighted in inspection reports. Nobody should be in any doubt about that.

On the issue of accountability, as I stated, the Joint Committee on Health and Children is due to hold hearings on 11 June, at which it will hear evidence from officials from the Health Service Executive, those involved in child care provision and the Minister. The issues arising from the legislation can also be discussed. We will have full accountability and transparency in this matter because parents and especially the children attending child care facilities deserve no less.

See this speech in context