Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the further action that will be taken in response to the Cloyne report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26080/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Arising from the publication of the Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Diocese of Cloyne in July 2011, the Government committed to a series of measures designed to significantly strengthen the existing legislative, policy and practice framework in the area of child protection. The intention is to ensure that child abuse in Ireland, be it clerical, institutional, within or outside the family, is strongly and decisively tackled, and that children are properly safeguarded.

I am working closely with my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence on this agenda and we are making significant progress in this regard.

In July I launched the revised Children First National Guidance for the protection and welfare of children, and last week I launched the HSE's accompanying 'Child Welfare and Protection Practice Handbook' for use by all social workers and other relevant practitioners. The Handbook complements the Children First Guidance and sets specific protocols for HSE social workers, gardaí and other front line staff in dealing with suspected abuse and neglect. The objective is to ensure that safe and effective child protection practices are operated across all organisations and sectors that work with children.

I have received Government approval to put the Children First Guidance on a statutory basis and my Department is currently working with the Office of the Attorney General in developing the necessary legislative approach. Children First will also be supported by an assurance framework which will include strong emphasis on inspection and the need to provide demonstrable evidence of implementation. In the case of the health sector, the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is being expanded to include oversight of the HSE's Child Protection services, including the operation of Children First. HIQA is currently developing standards to allow for inspection of the HSE's child protection services.

My colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence is bringing forward legislation which will put the vetting of employees on a statutory footing and also allow for the sharing of soft information as part of the vetting process. Minister Shatter is also introducing legislation on the withholding of information relating to crimes committed against children and vulnerable adults.

The range of measures which I have described forms part, in my view, of a strong and necessary Government response to the Cloyne report, and one which must be complemented by the Church authorities having regard to the very serious failings identified by the Commission of Investigation. The HSE's National Director, Mr. Gordon Jeyes, is also at my request engaging directly with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church on a programme of action designed to ensure that the Catholic Church is responding properly and comprehensively to all child protection concerns. Mr. Jeyes will report formally to me on progress in this regard.

It is important that the Church authorities' actions to safeguard children, like those of all organisations, are fully and transparently in conformity with the Children First Guidance and their own protocols. I understand in this regard that the National Board intends publishing its completed reviews of dioceses on an ongoing basis.