Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

Amendment No. 7 relates to section 3(4) of the Child Care Act 1991, which deals with the functions of the Health Service Executive and connects the Child Care Acts with the Health Acts. The reason for the amendment is that section 3(4) becomes a meaningless and moot section in the context of the establishment of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and transfer of the Child Care Acts to my Department. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is not provided for in the Health Acts. In that regard, the necessary amendment is the deletion of section 3(4). It is my intention, at the earliest possible date, to introduce legislation providing the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with the requisite powers and functions vis-À-vis the Health Service Executive to ensure the executive is properly accountable to me with respect to services it provides under the auspices of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.