Health Committee to meet with Family Support Agency and Children’s Detention Schools Board

Among the issues which will be addressed tomorrow are:

• The proposed new National Children Detention facility;
• Interim measures to be put in place pending the delivery of this facility;
• Reforms in detention schools;
• Safeguarding policies;
• Inspections in children detention schools;
• Development of National Specialist Service for  young people;
• The Family and Community Services Resource Centre;
• The scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling services;
• The future of the Family Support Agency.

Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “As part of the Committee’s remit to engage with designated chairpersons, we will have an opportunity to engage with Sharon Foley on her vision and priorities for the agency. She will have a chance to outline the challenges he feels the agency will face in coming years.

Tomorrow, the Committee will also have an opportunity to get an update on the work of both the Children’s Detentions Schools Board.  In particular, Committee Members will be interested to know what interim measures are being put in place to ensure that children in detention in Ireland, currently held in the adult prison facility St Patrick’s Institution, will be more suitably accommodated pending the delivery of the National Children Detention Facility at Oberstown. Reforms in detention schools, safeguarding policies and inspections in children detention schools will also feature among the issues to be raised tomorrow.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow, Thursday, 8th March, 11.30am in Committee Room 2, LH 2000. Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

ENDS