Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 7

Written Answers. - Children's Ombudsman.

Dan Neville

Ceist:

183 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if the proposed children's ombudsman will be set up on a statutory basis; if the ombudsman will be independent of Departments; and if the terms of appointment will enable him to highlight (a) the importance of children's rights through the media and contact with schools organisations providing services and in the Oireachtas within public and private services and in Government Departments and (b) the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child through media comment on legislative and administrative proposals which would impact on children's rights including making submissions to parliamentary committees. [27332/99]

Dan Neville

Ceist:

184 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if the children's ombudsman will be in a position to advise Departments and other public and private organisations, including the courts, on policies and procedures in order to ensure that children's rights are respected; and if provisions will enable the ombudsman to publish an annual report and special reports on specific topics or investigations, receive and respond to individual queries and complaints from children and their parents or guardians on the provision of public or private services and conciliate, mediate and adjudicate and liaise with other relevant bodies on individual complaints. [27333/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

The Government agreed in July last year to the establishment of an office of ombudsman for children. This is a major initiative by the Government and is a further measure to protect and promote the welfare of children in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Heads of a Bill are currently being prepared for Government by the interdepartmental group preparing the national children's strategy with a view to having the necessary legislation in place for the establishment of the office next year. Details of the office will be made public when the Bill is published.

However, I intend that the office will be independent and will report to the Oireachtas.

It will have two broad functions: promoting the welfare of children generally, including commenting on the impact on children's welfare of legislative proposals; the investigation of issues raised by children.

It will be important that the ombudsman for children should have a strong promotional role and should provide guidance on future tends in relation to the welfare of children. I intend that the office will have the necessary statutory powers to carry out the proposed role.