Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will put the children first guidelines on a statutory footing; if it will then be possible to report Government Departments and/or the Health Service Executive for failure to protect the welfare of vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19811/11]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for the children first guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19813/11]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date on which she will introduce legislation to place the children first guidelines on a statutory footing; and if the revised children first guidelines will be amended before becoming operational to ensure that they include a requirement for such a service. [19880/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 43 and 41 together.

In line with the Programme for Government, I am committed to the introduction of legislation to underpin Children First, the national guidance on the reporting and management of child welfare and protection concerns. The need for such legislation was also highlighted in the Implementation Plan prepared following the publication of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. My Department has made much progress on this in recent weeks. I will be publishing, later this week, new Children First national guidance. I also hope to be in a position very shortly to outline the details of the proposed legislation, including the requirements attaching to the various agencies with regard to implementation.