Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she intends to put in place measures to prevent trafficking in children and child abuse of a mental, physical or sexual nature over the remainder of the current year; the degree to which she has had discussions with various groups in this context; if and when she expects to put in place the necessary protective measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15200/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under the Child Care Act, 1991, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for the care and protection of separated children seeking asylum until they reach 18 years of age. Their immediate and ongoing needs as well as their application for refugee status are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in accordance with the Refugee Act, 1996 (as amended) and the Child Care Act, 1991. The issue of trafficking legislation is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence.

Where children are identified by An Garda Síochána at a point of entry, their circumstances are investigated and if there are any concerns about the welfare of the child, they are placed into the care of the HSE. The hostel accommodation arrangements that previously operated have been discontinued and children are now placed in fostering arrangements.

The HSE is aware that separated children seeking asylum who go missing from care may be at risk of being trafficked. The HSE and the Gardaí National Immigrant Bureau have worked closely since 2008 in this regard and have in place a Joint National Protocol on Children who go missing from care. Joint meetings between their respective management have been held to identify risk, share information and work co-operatively in respect to this group of children. The parties to the meetings have included Local Garda Inspectors, Garda National Immigration Bureau Inspectors, Social Workers engaged in the provision of after hours services and separated children seeking asylum teams.

Additional steps taken to address risk issues in relation to separated children include

· collaborative interviewing at points of entry between the Gardaí and social workers

· planned surveillance of those at risk of going missing from the point of entry to the initial period in placement and a range of other activities undertaken by An Garda Síochána.

HSE management and staff have also been closely involved in collaboration with the Department of Justice and Equality in the development of the National Action Plan on Anti-Human Trafficking and every effort is being made to fulfil commitments to combat trafficking as outlined in this Plan. My Department and the HSE are also represented on the High Level Group on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings, which is chaired by the Department of Justice and Equality.

Separately the revised Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children provides complementary guidance and deals with the recognition, reporting and management of child safety concerns more generally. It emphasises the need to safeguard and to protect children, particularly vulnerable children. It specifically highlights the roles and responsibilities of the HSE and An Garda Síochána, as the two agencies with statutory responsibility for child protection and forms an integral part of their existing operations and practice. Where the HSE has identified a concern regarding child trafficking, this is referred to the Gardaí and the two statutory organisations work closely together to ensure the safety of the child.