John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 538: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs the specific proposals in the Programme for Government for which she is responsible; the target dates which she has agreed in respect of the delivery of these proposals; and if she will publish an implementation schedule. [9580/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the functions previously vested in me, as Minister with responsibility for the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, have recently transferred to newly reconfigured Departments, with the exception of functions relating to Family Policy and consultation on Gaeltacht planning matters. It is anticipated that draft Orders will be brought to Government shortly transferring functions relating to Children and Youth Affairs to the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, which will subsequently be renamed the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

In relation to the functions currently vested in me as Minister with responsibility for the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, I can advise the Deputy that, in the context of my Family Policy portfolio, I will be liaising with the Minister for Justice and Equality in relation to progressing the specific commitment in the Programme for Government to encourage and facilitate the use of mediation to resolve, inter alia, family disputes in order to speed up resolution of disputes, reduce legal costs and ameliorate the stress of contested court proceedings. The Deputy will appreciate that the drawing up of an implementation schedule of the nature referred to by him would be premature, pending completion of the transfer of functions process in relation to my Department.