Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department plans to explore, with the Department of Justice and Equality and other Government agencies, reviewing the pilot access centres run by a charity and an organisation (details supplied) from 2011 to 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33336/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department is committed to supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children, and the effective functioning of families. We recognise that the dynamics of domestic violence and the safety needs of both children and non-abusing parents must be considered in making appropriate arrangements for children's contact with abusive parents in the case of family breakdown.

Child Contact Centres were established on a pilot basis in 2011 by One Family in conjunction with Barnardos in two Dublin based locations, for the period 2012-2013. The Centres aimed to provide a neutral location where children of separated parents/guardians could spend time with a non-resident parent/guardian and build a relationship with that parent. The Centres were co-funded by my Department, the HSE, the Family Support Agency, and Ballymun Regeneration for the two year period.

The final evaluation report on the Centres, published by One Family in March 2014, recommended that an integrated response by my Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, supported by their relevant agencies (i.e. The Child and Family Agency, the Courts Service, the Probation Service, the Legal Aid Board, the Family Mediation Service, and COSC) would be the best approach to progressing the recommendations.

I am currently liaising with my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality to suggest we review the evaluation report in light of the changing infrastructural arrangements such as the establishment of Tusla and the proposed Family Courts Service and to examine the potential for advancing further consideration of the Final Evaluation Report's recommendations in that context.