Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 175: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in view of both the RAPID report, which found systemic inequalities and deprivation affecting children and adults, and also the How are our Kids Report, which states that nine out of ten children experience fear of anti-social behaviour or crime and that more than one in four live in cold damp houses, his Department is co-ordinating the State's response to the considerable problems outlined in these reports. [4566/06]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the How Are Our Kids research project undertaken by the childhood development initiative and Dartington social research unit which was published in October 2004. This report was one of eight preliminary research documents which culminated in the publication of A Place for Children, a ten year strategy by the childhood development initiative in west Tallaght. The ten year strategy was launched by the Taoiseach in October 2005. At that time, the Government welcomed the goals and aims of the initiative and it is clear that the strategy is the result of an enormous amount of work at community level.

The objective of the strategy is to improve children's health, safety, learning and achieving and to increase their sense of community belonging. The Government has put a number of initiatives in place with the ultimate aim of improving children's lives in areas such as west Tallaght. As a Government designated geographic area of disadvantage, namely, a RAPID area, it has been estimated that approximately €27 million was spent in the year 2004-05 by statutory bodies on children's services in the part of it covered by the strategy. I know the project recognises this and it is a substantial sum in the area concerned. Developments through this and other programmes in the areas of education, health and youth justice at national level are mirrored in the approach outlined in the childhood development initiative's ten-year strategy.

A number of meetings between representatives of this and other related projects have already taken place with officials of the relevant Department. In December 2005, the Government announced the bringing together of a number of functions relating to children and their well being in the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children to bring greater coherence to policy making for children. In that context, the office of the Minister of State with responsibility for children will co-ordinate developments regarding this matter on behalf of the Government.