Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on plans to improve the information and communications technology and the information database systems across the child protection services and to remove their dependence on the Health Service Executive, by transferring resources and ownership to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. [20399/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The total funding provision for Tusla in 2015 is €643.401m, an increase of 5.6% over the 2014 allocation. This includes provision for capital expenditure of €12.386m in 2015, an increase of €5.5m over 2014.

Tusla has recently submitted its Estates and ICT Capital Plan for the period 2015 - 2017. The Plan is designed to support and build ICT capacity in line with business needs and ensure that total resources available to Tusla are applied to improving outcomes for children and families in the most effective, efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable way. The objectives over the lifetime of the plan are to optimise performance and cost to support delivery of the Agency's business goals. This includes establishing a baseline position, developing a roadmap to ensure that ICT systems are adequate to support business requirements and developing ICT strategic options. The Plan also provides for the development of an ICT Strategy and centralised procurement and project management. The Plan includes provision for the continued roll-out of the National Child Care Information System (NCCIS), which will operate as the central national database supporting the provision of child welfare and protection services.

Access to the NCCIS system will ensure that every social work department has a user-friendly technology solution to record the case history of every child who is the subject of a child protection or welfare referral.

Phase 1 of the implementation of the NCCIS project involves approximately 180 front-line staff in North Tipperary, Clare and Limerick using the pilot System and Phase 2 is currently in development.

My Department will work closely with the Agency on the content of its Capital Plan and will closely monitor progress in terms of implementation.