Written answers

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Northern Ireland Issues

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of the type and frequency of North South engagement her Department undertakes; the current priorities in this area; the number of whole time equivalent staff assigned to these matters; the grades involved and the amount of time each grade spends on North South Activities as a proportion of their WTE employment; the co-ordination arrangements that have been put in place; if there are any current vacancies in North South Co-operation unites; the duration of this vacancy and the steps being taken to fill the vacancy.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48540/12]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my response to his last question on this issue (PQ 46612/12). In this reply, I confirmed that while there is no dedicated North South Co-operation Unit in my Department, officials engage with their counter-parts in Northern Ireland on issues of mutual concern and importance and as part of their day-to-day responsibilities,. As such, it is not possible to state categorically the frequency of North South engagements; the number of whole-time equivalents assigned to North South matters; the amount of time each grade spends on these matters; or the address the Deputy's question relating to vacancies.

Examples of some of the important work approached on a collaborative basis between my officials and their counter parts in Northern Ireland are:

- the establishment of the North South Child Protection Hub, (a dedicated on-line child protection resource);

- the development of an "Inter-Jurisdictional Protocol for the Transfer of Child Care cases between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland";

- a review of vetting and barring arrangements in both jurisdictions;

- the development of a joint communication strategy to promote awareness of child welfare and protection;

- promoting internet safety in the area of child welfare and protection;

- promoting North-South Education and Training Standards in Youth Work; and

- promoting Youth Exchange Programmes (e.g. 'Causeway')

In addition, the Irish Youth Justice Service in my Department is involved in a North-South Process which is led by the Department of Justice and Equality under the auspices of the St. Andrews Agreement. The Youth Justice Project Advisory Group is one of six strands in this process. It aims to guide and support co-operation in the youth justice area on both sides of the border; to provide a forum for the active exchange of information, ideas and expertise between participating bodies on matters including restorative justice and tackling re offending; and the examination and identification of the areas where joint working could take place. The North-South Youth Justice Project Advisory Group meets twice a year and reports to the North-South High Level Senior Officials Group.

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