Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has proceeded to seek expressions of interest from interested persons or nominations of specific persons who would be prepared to serve as members of the board of the yet to be established Child and Family Agency; the number of board positions she intends for the new Agency; if a person (details supplied) has taken up her position as Chair of the board of the existing Family Support Agency;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22071/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government has approved, on my recommendation, the appointment of Ms Norah Gibbons as first chairperson of the board of the agency. In preparation for the formal establishment of the new agency Ms Gibbons will be initially appointed as chairperson 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 be available to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children in advance of taking up her position. I wrote to the Chairman of the Committee on 30 April last requesting that he facilitate Ms Gibbon's appearance before the committee in connection with her appointment. I await confirmation of a date for this meeting.

On 2 May, a public advertisement seeking expressions of interest from those interested in being appointed to the board of the Family Support Agency was published on the website of the Public Appointments Service. A notice to this effect has also been posted on my Department's website and on the websites of the National Educational Welfare Board and the Family Support Agency, FSA. The closing date for applications is Thursday, 23 May 2013. The advertisement highlights both the role of the board members within the Family Support Agency's existing statutory functions and the board's planned role in facilitating advance preparations for the organisational establishment of the child and family agency.

Therefore, the selection of board members will have particular regard to the enhanced role being given to this board in overseeing, on an administrative basis, the governance and organisational preparations for the new agency. The number of board members appointed will be in line with section 10(1) of the Family Support Agency Act 2001, which provides for a board of 12 members in total.

Those appointed to the FSA board will have a term of office up to the date of the establishment of the new child and family agency. In the interests of good governance I anticipate that in general a good level of continuity will be maintained between the newly appointed Family Support Agency board and the board of the child and family agency, although it is intended that the latter board shall be smaller in number.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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For the Minister's information, at this morning's meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children, I urged that we take the opportunity to engage with Norah Gibbons on the earliest date possible and we hope to do that over the next couple of weeks although we are heavily involved in addressing upcoming legislation with hearings on the heads of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill at the end of next week and the following week.

The board of the Family Support Agency will oversee transition to the new agency. The Minister indicates that 12 members are provided for but that a smaller number is anticipated for the child and family agency. I hope that it will not be much smaller. It would be appropriate to accommodate the experience gained by those who will serve for whatever period the board of the Family Support Agency remains in situ. I note the deadline for expressions of interest and hope that those who have been involved heretofore will be considered. I am particularly concerned about the family resource centres and their network and representation at national level, and again commend their particular interests to the Minister.

There are three parts to the child and family agency, the HSE child services, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board which has already come under the aegis of the Minister's Department. I am particularly concerned about the school completion programme. Cuts of 6.5% have been announced in the current and upcoming years, 2013 to 2016 I think. I note that Pobal was to undertake an analysis of the existing operational staffing arrangements with a view to providing advisory support to local managements in such matters and that it was intended that this work would commence shortly after Easter. Some time has passed since Easter and I wonder has that process got under way. Staff are employed in various roles in the school completion programme which is to help young people to remain in school and complete second level. Can the Minister indicate whether the process to be undertaken by Pobal has got under way and can she give any hope or confirmation to the employees in the school completion programme that they will still be employed in September?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's question, to which I am responding, was primarily about the board and its membership. I understand that the assessment of the school completion programme is under way. I will check the proposed date of completion of that work and will pass on the information to the Deputy. It was undertaken because of the wide variety in approaches to school completion around the country and to try to get a national overview of the work being done. I will have to give the Deputy the details later.

The Deputy will see from the notice posted about those who will be appointed to the board that we emphasise the skills that would be required and the range of expertise needed to run an agency of that size, with 4,000 staff. He will note that one of the criteria on the website is knowledge of and expertise in community development, social inclusion and community participation. We want to have as wide a range of skills as possible available to the board and the appointments will be based on merit and suitability to run an agency of that size and to make meaningful contributions. We are not trying to make the board representative of everyone involved in the sector but we do want to make sure that it will include experts in the various areas within the remit of the agency, such as community involvement, family support and child protection who will contribute to the management of the agency and the development of policies.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I commend to the Minister the inclusion of the salient expertise, relevant knowledge and experience in the family resource centre network. I have personal experience of its worth in my constituency and that is reflected the length and breadth of the country. It is very important that it continues to have that involvement and access.

I appreciate that the Minister would not have the information to hand about the school completion programme but the funding will conclude on 31 August which poses a problem and uncertainty as to what will apply when the school year resumes in September. This replicates the situation that pertained 12 months ago when people employed directly within these programmes had no certainty or idea of whether they would have employment to return to in September. We need to address that problem and understand the importance of what they are doing. It is a worthwhile and successful programme and it is regrettable that with the establishment of the Minister's Department one of the three components of the new child and family agency has suffered significant cuts. I would appreciate hearing from the Minister as soon as possible.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I will come back to the Deputy with the details of the school completion programme. Obviously, the intention is to continue this work. There is no need for those working in the programme to doubt its continuation.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Or of their employment.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Yes.