Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 585: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way the additional €19 million allocated to child welfare and protection services for 2012 is to be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25276/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The establishment for the first time of a dedicated budget for children and families in 2012 is an important part of the ongoing 'change agenda', which is aimed at strengthening organisation capacity, business processes and systems, and will pave the way for the transition to the new Child and Family Support Agency in 2013.

The Government has made additional budgeting provision of €19m for child welfare and protection services compared to the funding made available last year. The funding will assist in addressing expenditure pressures from budgetary reductions made in previous years and growth and demand for services due to demographic and other factors. In overall terms, the 2012 provision is designed to support the HSE in meeting its obligations with regard to the welfare and protection of children under the Child Care Act 1991, together with a range of priorities set out in the HSE National Service Plan for 2012. These include particular emphasis on the completion of a series of reforms across children and family services in order to provide a comprehensive range of high quality services; implementation of Children First and the continuing delivery of commitments in the Ryan Implementation Plan. Management of these services is being led by the National Director, Mr Gordon Jeyes.