Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she expects to publish the facilitating legislation for the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency; the anticipated date on which the Child and Family Support Agency will be established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7444/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am firmly committed to the transformation of Ireland’s child and family services and, in this context, the establishment as a priority of the new child and family support agency. The agency, on its establishment, will assume full statutory responsibility for a range of child and family services currently provided by three separate agencies, namely, the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board.

Last July I published the report of the task force on the establishment of the child and family support agency. Following consideration of the task force’s detailed recommendations, in November the Government approved the general scheme and heads of the Child and Family Support Agency Bill. Drafting of the legislation necessary to establish the agency in line with the general scheme is at an advanced stage. This will be very comprehensive legislation, providing as it does for subsuming functions from three separate agencies and assigning very onerous responsibilities relating to the care and protection of children and the promotion of their welfare. Subject to finalisation and approval by the Government, it is my intention to present the legislation to the Oireachtas during the current term.

I thank the Deputy for his support in respect of the establishment of the new agency. A precise date in respect of its establishment will be set when consideration of the legislation by the Oireachtas has advanced. While the legislative process is under way, all necessary organisational preparations will continue in parallel. It is important not to underestimate the scale of the work which must be done in terms of setting up the agency or the level of change that will be involved. We want a carefully planned approach to be adopted in respect of such large-scale change within this crucial area of the public service.

When established, the agency will constitute one of the largest public bodies in the State and will have a staff of over 4,000 and a budget of over €550 million. This is one of the largest and most ambitious public sector reform projects being undertaken by the Government. A number of significant milestones have already been achieved. These include the separation of children and family services within the HSE from other health and personal social services and a national change programme. In addition, an industrial relations, IR, process is under way and I thank those involved with this because they have resolved many of the issues which have inevitably arisen along the way. Furthermore, the development of dedicated children and families responsibility and accountability at area, regional and national management team levels is ongoing. Much of what will be reflected in the legislation has already been done and many of the systems that will have to be put in place either have been or are currently being developed. A team is working on these matters at present. I will certainly provide the Deputy with further details on the other aspects of the work which have been progressed.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The content of the Minister's reply has not changed very much since the previous occasion on which we addressed this issue. She is quite correct in stating that I remain fully supportive of the new agency. I look forward to it commencing operations. However, as she indicated in the previous reply she gave last July, almost eight months ago, the purpose of the task force's report was to inform the preparation of legislation in respect of all the areas to which she referred. These include bringing together the roles played by three separate agencies, namely, the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board, under a single entity, which is a huge undertaking.

We are halfway through February and the Minister indicated that the Bill will be forthcoming during the current term. Does this mean it will be published prior to Easter? It is extremely important that we should have sight of the legislation. Many of the stakeholders involved are continually inquiring with Deputies as to the exact position and there is huge concern among them as to the future of the various component parts that are going to be brought together under one agency. Would it be possible for the Minister to publish the heads of the child and family support agency Bill? She indicated that the Cabinet has agreed the heads and that the preparation and publication of the legislation is to be prioritised. Will she publish the heads of the Bill? The previous Government committed to doing so during the years when Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach. Publishing the heads would be of assistance.

Will the Minister address the position with regard to the board of the new agency, particularly in light of the continuing concerns of the 106 family resource centres, FRCs, throughout the country and the Family Resource Centre National Forum's current representation in the context of the Family Support Agency? Is she in a position to provide an assurance that the entities to which I refer will continue to be represented on the board of the child and family support agency when it is established?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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There is a huge amount of work being done in respect of the finalisation of the legislation. In view of the fact that we are close to completion, I am of the view that it would be preferable to publish the legislation in full. I appreciate the response of the staff involved to date. Last month we issued personal letters to almost 4,000 staff informing them of the plans to establish the new agency. It is intended that their employment will transfer upon establishment. A communication and information exercise is taking place in respect of all of the staff who will be involved with the new agency. I appreciate that they want the agency to be formally established through legislation. We are doing everything possible to ensure that the legislation will be brought before the House as soon as possible.

The Deputy will appreciate the scale of both the legislation and the work involved. As outlined, this is one of the largest public sector reform projects with which the Government is engaged. There is a need to get matters right. For example, we must ensure that the necessary financial systems will be ready and available to allow the agency to do its work. This is just one of a number of elements involved. Quite an amount of work has already been done. The senior management team has been recruited and negotiations with staff and unions are ongoing. The reform project in this area is being driven forward strongly by the CEO of the child and family support agency. A number or areas, including the reform of residential care, are being considered in this regard. There will be a need for national campaigns on a number of issues. In addition, reform is taking place in respect of data management. The latter was a major issue in the past, particularly as it was not possible to obtain consistent data. All of the background work is being done in respect of this matter, which is an absolute priority within my Department. As already highlighted, the scale of the work involved is very large. However, that work is being done and I hope the legislation will be brought before the House this term.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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If any further delay were to occur, I would be obliged to resubmit to the Minister my plea to the effect that the heads of the Bill should be published. I do not believe that doing so would in any way inhibit progress relating to the preparation of the legislation. It is my view that publishing the heads of Bills is good practice in all instances. I argued the matter with the previous Administration which, in principle at least, acceded to my request in terms of publication.

In the context of my question regarding the board of the new child and family support agency, the Minister did not refer to the position of the FRCs or the Family Resource Centre National Forum's representation within the current structure. Is she in a position to provide any certainty with regard to whether this important strata of service and support for families and children throughout the country at present will continue to be represented? There are four very fine FRCs in my constituency for which I have the highest regard and which I support. I will actually be visiting one of the centres - that which is located in Clones - on Monday next for its open day. Is the Minister in a position to provide an assurance that, in the context of the new arrangements, the existing level of board representation will continue and that the ethos and culture of FRCs and the programme of work they have already adopted will be maintained?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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From the beginning of our discussions in respect of the establishment of the new agency, I made it clear that I consider the provision of family support to be an absolutely critical part of the new agency's work. Equally, it is clear that child protection is a priority. In order to ensure that child protection systems operate effectively, the efforts of the family resource centres and others who work in providing support to families and children throughout the country will continue to be required. Expertise in this area will certainly be reflected in the composition of the new board. Gordon Jeyes and I are absolutely committed to ensuring that the ethos relating to family support will continue to be a key aspect of the new agency's work. If one wants child protection to operate effectively, then the necessary family support services must be in place. I will ensure that the board of the new agency will have available to it the necessary expertise relating to family support.

We have expertise in family support services that will continue to influence, but at ministerial and management level there is a clear understanding that the ethos of resource centres and family support services will be reflected in the management structure of the new agency and at board level. It will extend to having managers with responsibility for family support services throughout the country.