Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 122: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the locations where the offices of the Minister with responsibility for Children are located; the locations where it is proposed that they be located on a more permanent basis; the number of civil servants who are employed in those sections within the responsibility of the Minister with responsibility for Children ; the number of civil servants who have been assigned to the Minister from the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19027/06]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of the Minister for Children was established in accordance with the Government decision of 7th December, 2005 to place the interests of children at the heart of Government and to build on the successes already achieved in the context of the National Children's Strategy. The Office is an integral part of the Department of Health & Children and comprises the following: The Childcare Directorate (transferred from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform), which has responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme — EOCP and the new National Childcare Investment Programme. The Childcare Directorate is currently based at Old Faculty Building, Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4. It has an agreed complement of 21.8 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) civil servants.

The Child Welfare and Protection Policy Unit, which has responsibility for policy and legislative work on Child Welfare and Protection. This Unit is currently based in the Department of Health and Children at Hawkins House, Hawkins Street, Dublin 2. It has an agreed complement of 17.1 WTE civil servants.

The National Children's Strategy Unit, which has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the National Children's Strategy. This Unit is currently based at St. Martin's House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4. It has an agreed complement of 16.8 WTE civil servants. This figure includes three staff on secondment from the Departments of Education & Science, Justice, Equality & Law Reform and Social & Family Affairs.

My private office is currently based at the Department of Health & Children at Hawkins House, Hawkins Street, Dublin 2. They have an agreed complement of 7.8 WTE civil servants. A Private Secretary, based in the Department of Education & Science, has also been assigned to me.

The new Youth Justice Service of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Early Years Education Policy Unit of the Department of Education and Science will be co-located at the new office. The Youth Justice Service is based at Montague Court, 7-11 Montague St., Dublin 2 at present and currently has 7 civil servants working there. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Finance have still to agree the WTE complement of civil servants which will co-locate to my Office. The Youth Justice Service will continue to be funded through the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform's vote.

The Early Years Education Policy Unit is based at the Department of Education and Science, Marlborough St., Dublin 1 at present. 1 civil servant has currently been appointed to the Unit. The WTE complement of civil servants which will co-locate to my Office is still under consideration. The Unit will continue to be funded through the Department of Education and Science's vote.

Co-located staff from the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science will remain staff of their parent Department and will continue to have a reporting relationship through that Department and its senior Minister, in addition to its relationship to me and the Director General of the Office of the Minister for Children.

With regard to a more permanent location for my Office, agreement has recently been reached with the Office of Public Works regarding permanent accommodation arrangements. The Office will be located in Bishop's Square, Redmond's Hill, Dublin 2, following decentralisation of a division of the Department of Foreign Affairs that is currently located there. This is scheduled to take place by mid-2007 and it is proposed that my Office would move to Bishop's Square very shortly thereafter. Discussions are ongoing with the Office of Public Works with a view to making more appropriate accommodation arrangements in the intervening period.