David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the membership of the National Children's Advisory Council, NCAC, for the period from 2004 to 2007; when the first NCAC membership was dissolved; when the NCAC was reconstituted; the functions and remit of the NCAC; the directions her Department provides to the NCAC with regard to standards and the performance of its functions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21553/05]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The membership of the National Children's Advisory Council for the period 2005-08 is as follows:

Chairperson

Mr. Peter O'Brien

Vice Chairperson

Mr. Paul Gilligan — ISPCC

Youth Representatives

Mr. Dennis Drought

Ms Méabh Healy

Mr. Anthony Keigher

Ms Sheila O'Donnell

Statutory Sector

Mr. PJ Breen — Department of Education and Science

Mr. Ger Crowley — Health Service Executive

Ms Dora Hennessy — Department of Health and Children

Ms Anne-Marie Hughes — Irish Sports Council

Ms Marie Kennedy — National Children's Office

Mr. Heber McMahon — Department of Social and Family Affairs

Ms Mary Meaney — National Disability Authority

Mr. Finbar Murphy — An Garda Síochána

Ms Jean O'Dwyer — The Arts Council

Mr. Eamon Waters — Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Mr. John O'Callaghan — Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Voluntary Sector

Ms Maria Corbett — Children's Rights Alliance

Ms Norah Gibbons — Barnardos

Ms Geraldine Graydon — National Parents Council — Primary

Mr. Jim Jackman/Mr. Gerry O'Reilly — National Parents Council — Post Primary

Mr. Declan Jones — Focus Ireland

Mr. Dermot Kearney — National Youth Council of Ireland

Ms Collette Murray — Pavee Point

Sr. Catherine Prendergast — Council of Religious of Ireland

Ms Máire Uí Aininn — National Childcare Coordinating Committee

Ms Jennifer Wallace — National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism

Research

Dr. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn — National Children's Research Advisory Board

Independent Nominees

Mr. David Hopkins

Mr. George Maybury

Dr. Dermot Stokes.

The first National Children's Advisory Council served from May 2001 to May 2004. The first meeting of the reconstituted council took place on 20 April 2005.

The council has an independent advisory and monitoring role in relation to the implementation of the national children's strategy and reports to the Minister for Health and Children in that regard. Its functions are: to advise the Minister on all aspects of children's lives, including the development of child well-being indicators; to advise the Minister on the better co-ordination and delivery of services to children; to contribute to monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the strategy; to undertake and advise on research and to advise on training in relation to the strategy; and to advise on the development of mechanisms to consult with children.

Letters requesting nominees to the reconstituted council set out the following guidelines: tenure will be on a three-year basis, with meetings of the council anticipated to be held no more than quarterly; consistent attendance is essential to the efficient operation of the council; members will not be remunerated but will be refunded expenses in accordance with Civil Service guidelines; and the council is supported in its work by the National Children's Office which provides the secretariat and the budget to support its activities.

The National Children's Advisory Council provides independent advice to the Minister for Health and Children. Through its diverse membership, the council is uniquely placed to provide advice which reflects a combination of expertise and practical experience. The council also plays an important role in monitoring the implementation of the national children's strategy. One of the key features of the council when it was first established was that, for the first time, an advisory council to the Minister included youth members who would work alongside nominees from the statutory and voluntary sector. The current council includes four youth members who have been elected by the recently established children and young people's forum of the National Children's Office.

The first council published a very detailed report on its work over its term of office. This sets out the areas in which the council has formally submitted advice to the Minister for Health and Children. It also deals with internal mechanisms to facilitate the effective working of the council, including good practice guidelines to ensure the effective involvement of young people in its work. This report, along with other documents issued by the Council, can be downloaded from www.ncac.ie.