Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children in State care who were charged or convicted of any criminal offence in 2010 or 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17059/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Each child in State care is required to have a care plan and information relating to criminal charges or convictions would be recorded at local level on an individual child's file by the HSE. However, it is regrettable that this information has not in the past been collected or collated at a national level.

Since taking office I have had to prioritise the need fro better data collection and information management. This is being progressed through both the introduction of a more comprehensive set of HSE Performance Management indicators and through ongoing work to establish a National Child Care Information System.

I have asked the HSE to examine inclusion of appropriate national data on criminal charges or convictions in the National Child Care Information System.