asked the Minister for Health when legislation will be introduced arising out of the report of the task force on child care services.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Child Care Services Report.
17.
My Department are at present revising the draft scheme of the proposed new Bill to take account of my views on the type of court proceedings which should apply to children. In the next few weeks, I expect to circulate the revised scheme of the Bill for the urgent consideration of the other Departments concerned. Given priority treatment by those Departments, I envisage that the scheme should be ready for submission to the Government before the end of June. Once the approval of the Government has been obtained, the drafting of the Bill could take some considerable time, because of the extent of its provisions. Bearing this in mind, it is likely that I will be in a position to introduce a comprehensive new Children Bill before the end of the next session of Dáil Éireann.
The major changes which I propose to include in the Bill are: the imposition on the health boards of clear-out responsibility for a wide range of child-care services; the creation of powers to regulate playgroups, creches and nursery schools; the transfer of Ministerial responsibility for children's residential centres, special schools and the supervision of school attendance; an increase in the age of criminal responsibility; improvements in the juvenile justice system with greater participation by health boards; the strengthening of the powers of intervention by health boards where children are at risk; and control of the sale of solvents.
Will the Minister tell the House if it is possible — if that is so, does he consider it advisable — to introduce regulations for the control of privately run child-care services particularly in relation to the need for adequate fire precautions and hygiene?
They are subject to the ordinary by-law and fire regulations but the real difficulty is the disclosure of those playgroups and nursery schools by the proprietors who established them without consultation with the health boards and local authorities and without having a fire certificate. I share the Deputy's view that a number of these nursery schools and playgroup facilities are run on a straightforward profit-making basis. Under the new Children Bill which I will introduce, and my colleague, Deputy Fergus O'Brien will pilot through the Dáil, we are proposing very emphatic statutory requirements for the registration of those premises and introducing penalties to ensure that they are closed immediately. At present health inspectors and fire officers can only apply the ordinary regulations, which, unless they become aware of the existence of such places, cannot be applied.
Has the Minster had discussions with any interested groups? Does the Minister intend to have such discussions before he introduces the legislation?
The Irish Pre-School Playgroups Association sent a deputation to meet me before I became an office holder and I can assure the Deputy that I am very much aware of their views, as are officials of my Department, on statutory registration and control systems. The introduction of fire regulations could be of major benefit in that area. I would be glad to receive submissions from any Member on the matter because the extent of the problem is not well known.
Will the Minister indicate to the House when he expects to be in a position to introduce the control on the sale of solvents which he mentioned and whether he considers that to be a matter he should proceed with urgently and separate from any other proposed legislation in view of the terrible damage being done to young lives?
That will be included in the Bill. The recently established task force of Ministers of State are considering the sale of solvents, glue and tippex sniffing. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien, is chairman of that group. Urgent action may be required in regard to that on a different level but, certainly, there will be a control mechanism in the Bill for the sale of solvents.