Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the action she will take arising from the recent report of the Ombudsman for Children regarding conditions under which more than 120 children separated from their parents and seeking asylum here are housed in hostels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46173/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The implementation plan approved by the Government on foot of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009 contains a commitment that the HSE will end the use of separately run hostels for separated children seeking asylum by December 2010 and will accommodate these children in the mainstream care system. The HSE has begun the process of phasing out the hostel arrangements. Three hostels have closed and the remaining four are to close this year. The HSE, in co-operation with the agency Crosscare, are providing care staff in the remaining hostels. As the matters relating to the ongoing needs of separated children seeking asylum relating to accommodation are the responsibility of the HSE, I have accordingly referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for further reply. In addition to these developments the HSE has developed a strong working relationship with the Garda National Immigration Bureau, GNIB, in the context of separated children and I am encouraged that the Garda has made separated children a policy priority for 2010.