Seanad debates

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Fourth Report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection: Statements

 

I met members of An Garda Síochána, up to assistant commissioner level, to discuss joint working with the HSE, including joint interviewing. There are interesting initiatives on this in the North and we can learn and address the issues raised in the report. As made clear in the programme for Government, we will establish a new children and families support services agency, which will see children and families services separated from the HSE. This has been recommended by many and generally welcomed by those working on the front line. It is a major task, but we have started and must ensure the new agency has the budget and support to do its work. It should make a difference on the ground as services for children are reorganised into the new agency, which will be responsible for a wide range of support services for children, young people and their families, and which will report directly into my Department through its chief executive. This is a change from how children's services have been organised until now.

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