Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the private companies that are providing residential and foster care services for children here. [23967/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of children who were placed in care during each of the past ten years due to housing or finance issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23968/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will expand the remit of the social services inspectorate to include inspections of hostel accommodation for separated children in St. Patrick's institution, and institutions for children with intellectual disabilities. [23969/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act, 2007 provided for the establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) as a body responsible for promoting safety and quality in the provision of health and personal social services for the benefit of the health and welfare of the public. The Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services was established by the Health Act 2007 as part of HIQA. The Act, provides for a new system of inspection and registration for 'designated centres', i.e. residential centres for children, residential centres for people with disabilities, and residential centres for older people, including private nursing homes. The Act, is being commenced on a phased basis and will give responsibility for the registration and inspection of designated centres to the Chief Inspector of Social Services.

Designated centres include all HSE, voluntary and privately run children's residential centres and residential centres for children with a disability. Under Section 41(e) of the Health Act, 2007 the Chief Inspector can inspect children's detention centres with the agreement of the Minister of Health and Children. Pending the commencement of this section, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has authorised HIQA through the Social Services Inspectorate to inspect the detention centres under Section 185 of the Children Act, 2001.

The Government has accepted all of the recommendations of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse which includes a recommendation in relation to the inspection of all children's services and is committed to their full implementation. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have been tasked with developing a plan for the implementation of the recommendations. In developing this plan I will consider the various issues which need to be addressed and what actions are necessary, feasible and effective. This implementation plan will be brought to Government for its approval by the end of July. The inspection process will be reviewed in this context.

St. Patrick's Institution is a prison for males aged 16 to 21 and as such falls within the remit of the Prison Inspectorate, not HIQA. It is the intention that the planned new detention centre for children under 18 years in Lusk will be inspected by HIQA/SSI. When this happens there will be no children remaining in St Patrick's Institution, only those aged 18 to 21 years.