Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together.

Our vision is to make Ireland the best country in Europe in which to be a child. The role of the Department of the Taoiseach will be to co-ordinate and focus Government action on this objective.

Poverty restricts a child's opportunity. I recently informed Cabinet colleagues that the new child poverty and well-being programme office has been established. The areas it will focus on are as follows: income supports and joblessness; early learning and childcare; reducing the cost of education; family homelessness; consolidating and integrating family and parental support health and well-being; and enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.

The initial focus of the office will be on drawing up a sequenced work programme for these areas. There has been broad engagement with civil society organisations, Departments and statutory agencies to identify the policy areas for the new programme office.

The office will operate within the social policy and public service reform division of the Department of the Taoiseach, which has developed the work to date. Assignment to the new dedicated programme team is well under way.

Further work and engagement is ongoing to inform the scope and programme of work of the programme office. The aim is to ensure the programme office brings added value as well as strategic leadership and enhanced accountability to the child poverty and well-being agenda and makes a tangible difference to the lives of children and their families.

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