Written answers

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Child and Family Support Agency Establishment

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide the timeline on the establishment of the new child and family support agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41845/12]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am firmly committed to the transformation of Ireland’s child protection and welfare services, and to the establishment of a new Child and Family Support Agency. The necessary legislation is being prepared by my Department as a priority. It is anticipated that the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this session. It is my intention that the Child and Family Support Agency will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in January 2013.

The commitment to establish a new Child and Family Support Agency is at the heart of the Government's reform of child and family services. The establishment of a single agency, underpinned by legislation and incorporating key children and family services, will provide a focus for the major reforms already underway under the National Director for Children and Families, Gordon Jeyes. This reform programme contains a number of critical elements:

- The continued and urgent implementation of a comprehensive change programme to improve the quality and consistency of child welfare and protection services;

- The commitment to introduce legislation to place Children First on a statutory basis:

The establishment for the first time of a dedicated budget for children and family services, providing transparency and accountability for - the use of resources to meet national priorities;

- The transition of existing HSE child protection and welfare and services into the new Agency;

The merger of the existing Family Support Agency with a budget of over €26 million into the Child and Family Support Agency;

- Consideration of the potential for further rationalisation of services for children under the new Agency.

The new Agency will assume responsibility for Children and Family Services, currently provided by the HSE, and the Family Support Agency. It will have a workforce of approximately 4,000 staff, and a combined existing budget of over €590 million. The Agency will be headed by Gordon Jeyes, as the Chief Executive designate, who will be supported by a senior management team. The recruitment of this team is at an advanced stage.

The new Agency and the wider transformation of children's services represents on the of the largest, and most ambitious, areas of public sector of reform embarked upon by this Government. My Department is working closely with staff representatives and I am very happy to say that the establishment of the new Agency has received the support of unions and a broad range of professional organisations.

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