asked the Minister for Health if the Government accept the interim report of the Task Force on Child Care Services; and if he will make a comprehensive statement on the implementation of the accepted recommendations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Child Care Report.
21.
As I indicated in reply to a similar question on 29 November last, the policy is to continue with the implementation of the recommendations contained in the interim report of the Task Force on Child Care Services.
The following is the present position with regard to the implementation of the recommendations:
1. I indicated in reply to a parliamentary question on 13 October 1977 that I am in favour of the establishment of a national registration council for social workers. This body would also have functions in relation to child care workers. In the interim, arrangements have been made to ensure that appropriate professional recognition continues to be given to the relevant courses. I outlined in a reply to a question on 11 April 1978 the present position with regard to the arrangements for the training of child care workers.
2. Neighbourhood youth projects have been established in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. The staffing arrangements have been completed and the projects will be fully under way by the end of June.
3. Five new residential units for the care of very young children have been completed at Madonna House, Blackrock.
4. Planning of improved facilities at St. Joseph's Special School, Clonmel, is at an advanced stage. It is hoped that the necessary work will commence within a few months.
5. Additional accommodation for homeless boys in the Dublin area has been acquired by the Los Angeles Society, with the aid of grants from the Eastern Health Board.
6. The question of the overall residential provision to be made for severely disturbed boys and girls is still under consideration. Preliminary planning of an assessment and residential unit for girls, to be located in Cork, has, however, commenced.
7. A new unit to provide intensive care for acutely emotionally deprived boys and girls is under construction at Warrenstown House and is expected to be completed before the end of this year.
8. Planning of a special school to cater for boys who cannot be coped with in existing institutions is almost completed. It is hoped to invite tenders for the building of the school by the end of June.
9. The project team which has been responsible for the planning of the special school for boys will now carry out the planning of residential accommodation and an assessment unit for girls in a similar category.
10. Trudder House, Newtownmountkennedy, which is an open residential centre for homeless travelling children, has been purchased and is now being extended to enable it to cater for up to 20 children. In addition, a special day centre, with educational facilities, to cater for children of travelling families with special problems has been opened in Dublin. It is hoped to extend the centre so that it can cater for a greater number of children and provide supportive services for the parents.
I should like to thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply he has given to my question. Can the Minister indicate when the unit at Lusk for special boys will be ready for occupation? The Minister has stated that he will be accepting tenders at the end of June.
I cannot say when it will be ready but it is hoped to invite tenders for the building of the school by the end of June.
Is the Minister aware that a three-year period was indicated by another Minister and will the Minister confirm that it will take that length of time?
I will check on the building arrangements and inform the Deputy.
Would the Minister be prepared to advance the arrangements for Lusk in the same way he advanced the arrangements for the hospital at Beaumont?
They are completely separate and different projects.
(Cavan-Monaghan): A different constituency.
We resorted to a very special arrangement for providing the hospital at Beaumont because an almost similar type of hospital had just been completed in Cork.
Is the Minister suggesting that this problem is not as urgent as the problem at Beaumont?
I have told the Deputy that there is no real comparison between the two projects—one is a hospital of approximately 700 beds while the other is a special school.
It is much smaller.
It is smaller but it just so happens that the plans, the staff and the professional team who were finishing the job in Cork were available to repeat the same process at Beaumont. Is the Deputy objecting to my adopting this process for Beaumont?
I am asking the question.
I am asking the Deputy a question.
I am asking the questions and the Minister should be answering them.
I am asking the Deputy a specific question: Does he object to my expediting the hospital building in Beaumont?
I object to the Minister not expediting the project at Lusk.
The Deputy does not understand the difference in the projects.
Can the Minister say whether it is his intention to set up the registration council for social workers which he referred to in the course of his reply?
I have given a detailed reply which, probably to the disconcertment of the Deputy, indicates that the interim report of the task force is being resolutely followed and implemented by me.
When will the Minister set up the registration council? I have not been given a reply to that question.