Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for the establishment of a dedicated child welfare and protection agency as promised in the programme for Government. [19980/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to fundamental reform of the delivery of child protection services. A number of significant structural and legislative changes are key to effecting such reform. This includes the establishment of a new agency with dedicated responsibility for the delivery of child welfare and protection services, separate from the HSE.

Preliminary work on the establishment of the new child welfare and protection agency has been undertaken and this project will now be accelerated. Issues which are being progressed include the legislative and governance arrangements necessary to underpin the establishment and operation of the agency. My Department is also working closely with the National Director for Children and Families Service within the HSE on associated matters, including the need to disaggregate the existing resource base for children and family services from the HSE in advance of the establishment of the agency. It is intended that there will be careful planning and preparation to facilitate as smooth a transition as possible to the new agency with suitable arrangements being put in place on an administrative basis prior to the assignment of operational responsibilities. Work is proceeding in relation to these matters and as further plans are developed details will be made available.