asked the Minister for Health the special projects carried out to better the lives of Irish children in this, the International Year of the Child.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Year of the Child.
12.
As part of the general programme which is being co-ordinated by the National Steering Committee for the International Year of the Child the following major projects are being carried out under the aegis of my Departbent: (a) the report of the Task Force on Child Care Services, which will make recommendations on legislative and structural reforms, is being completed; (b) a long-term programme to reduce the incidence of infant mortality and handicap in very young children is being launched within the next few months; (c) special projects to improve services for itinerant children are being implemented, particularly in the Dublin area; (d) the future development of hospital paediatric services is being examined; (e) the recommendations contained in the Department of Health Memorandum on Non-Accidental Injury to Children have been reviewed and are now being updated; (f) the Health Education Bureau announced their programme for child and family-centred health education in April.
Did the Minister say that the report of the task force has been published or is being published?
No, it has not been published yet but the objective is to get the report as soon as possible and to get legislation at least introduced before the end of the year.
When is the report being published?
I do not know but I would hope immediately after the summer.
Has the Minister the report in his possession?
Not yet, but I have made extra staff available to the task force to enable them to get the report out as quickly as possible.
Will the Minister consider setting a time limit for the presentation to him of the report?
I should not like to do that because they are very dedicated people and they are as aware as we are of the need to get the report out as quickly as possible. There are very complex issues being resolved and I should not like to perhaps diminish the quality of the report by pressing unduly. The task force and the chairman in particular know the urgency attached to having the report as quickly as possible.
Did the Minister give an undertaking that the legislation that would arise from publication of the report would be introduced or enacted before the end of the year?
There is not any great hope of having it enacted.
Will the Minister at least undertake that it will be introduced?
I hope so, yes.
The Minister will recall that originally he hoped it would be enacted.
The Deputy knows that I am as anxious as he is and every other Deputy is to get this work under way but it is difficult and complex and involves very sensitive constitutional areas. The only undertaking I can give is that there will be no delay of any kind attributable to me or my Department in getting on with it.
Their meetings were held up for over six months because there was no chairman appointed.