Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of any report she has been given by the task force establishing the new child and family support agency and details of any report she expects to be given by it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15122/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I established the Task Force on the Child and Family Support Agency in September last, to advise my Department in regard to the necessary transition programme to establish a Child and Family Support Agency. The Task Force is chaired by Ms Maureen Lynott and it will base its work on best practice in child welfare, family support and public administration; consistent with the Government's public sector reform agenda.

In accordance with its Terms of Reference, the Task Force has been mandated to:

· Propose a vision and the principles to guide operations;

· Advise on the appropriate service responsibilities, and the delivery of same;

· Review existing financial, staffing and corporate resources; and propose a methodology for resource allocation;

· Propose an organisational design and operating child welfare and protection service model;

· Prepare a detailed implementation plan;

· Identify the main priorities and core relationships required;

· Oversee the implementation and monitor progress, pending establishment of the Agency.

I met with the Task Force at their twelfth meeting held last month for an update on this work, which is also being advanced through two sub-groups. In the coming weeks I expect to receive the advice of the Task Force on a number of key issues which are critical to my decisions on legislative proposals regarding the new Agency and in particular, a vision for the Agency, governance arrangements and appropriate services for inclusion in the Agency.