Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will report on the Children's Services Committees which have already been established; the catchment population and child population which each serves; and if she will provide this information for all proposed Children Services Committees. [14521/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is leading an initiative to develop and implement a planning model for local interagency working to improve outcomes for children. The purpose of this initiative is to work towards better developmental outcomes for children through more effective integration of policies and services, in particular through the Children’s Services Committees at local level.

Children’s Services Committees bring together a diverse group of agencies in local county areas to engage in joint planning of services for children. These include representatives from the HSE, local authorities, An Garda Síochána, VECs, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, Irish Primary Principals Network, NEWB, and other organisations who provide services to children and young people. There are 16 CSCs at various stages of development and these are as follows: Dublin City, South Dublin, Limerick City, Donegal, Kerry, Fingal, Kildare, Longford/Westmeath, Carlow, Louth, Wicklow, Waterford, South Tipperary, Meath, Sligo/Leitrim, Cavan/Monaghan.

Following the publication of the Children & Young People’s Policy Framework later this year it is planned to extend the initiative further with the aim of developing a CSC in every part of the State.

I have set out attached below a table detailing a) the total population and b) the population of people up to age 19 in each CSC area and the corresponding figures for each city/county borough that does not currently have such a committee.