Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 24: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date on which she will publish the State's next report to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19896/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The preparation of this report is being progressed within my Department in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNCRC, and in consultation with the statutory and non-statutoty sectors. The report will cover the period from 2005-10, inclusive.

My Department is working to have a draft ready before the end of this year and submitted to the UN as soon as possible thereafter. Preparatory work to identify key areas of statutory responsibility has now been completed and requests for updated information will issue shortly to relevant Departments. The responses I received from the various Departments will be incorporated in the report, which I intend to submit as soon as possible. If we have the draft before the end of this year, the report will be published shortly after that.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNCRC, in September 1990 and ratified it two years later in September 1992. The first report was presented in 1997, the second in 2006 and the third was due in April 2009. While I note what the Minister has said, I hope the establishment of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will not see these long and unexplained delays in the future. Why is it that the report which was due in 2009 has not yet been presented? There must be an explanation and I hope the Minister is in a position to share that with us.

Where does the Minister believe the report will stand on the recommendations of the implementation committee on the UNCRC arising from the 2006 report? This must include the allocation of resources to enact the outstanding provisions in the relevant Children Acts for the protection of children and also incorporate the convention into domestic law. What is the current position in that regard? Also, the general principle of the best interest of the child being a primary consideration must be fully integrated into all legislation relevant to children.

The final recommendation is that social work services provided to families and children at risk be extended to cover seven days per week and 24 hours per day. These are the four critical points from the 2006 report. Where will we stand in regard to them when the Minister's report is completed?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I share the Deputy's concern regarding the delay in responding to the UN. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which comprises 54 articles, is the most widely ratified international human rights instrument and the first legal instrument to focus solely on children's rights regardless of place of birth, sex, religion or social origin. The preparation of the report is a priority for my Department. There are key issues to be considered, including the provision of a 24-hour service. Progress has been made in that regard, with two pilot projects in place. A report on the outcome of those projects will be submitted to me before the end of the year, which will enable me to assess the feasibility and cost of extending that type of service to other locations. I will incorporate those findings into the report to be sent to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is legislation planned to incorporate aspects of the convention into domestic law? None of us wants to see another report showing a continuation of the flaws and deficiencies highlighted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2006. We must show progress on the matters I have highlighted.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will get back to the Deputy on the question of legislation.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Does the Minister accept this is not merely a flowery UN convention rather a key policy strategy in developing policies to assist children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, among others? Does she agree that early intervention is key in terms of preventing problems for children when they reach second level education and beyond, if they get that far?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree that early intervention is key. That is not in doubt. Last week I attended a meeting of EU health Ministers where it was emphasised that we ought to be thinking in terms of equal opportunities for children with communication disorders given that one in three, one in four and one in five children, respectively, will be born with a visual, speech or hearing difficulty. By the time children enter primary school, 20% have difficulties to do with hearing. Early screening and assessment of these problems is the best way to ensure children's rights, as articulated in the UN convention, are met in this State. We have much work to do not only in terms of early intervention but also in respect of child protection. The Health Service Executive's director of child and family services, a recently recruited international expert, has said that our child protection system is not fit for purpose and that a great deal of work remains to be done.