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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Mar 1994

Vol. 440 No. 1

Written Answers. - Health Board's Annual Reports.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

160 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if he will make available to Dáil Éireann the obligatory annual report produced by each health board, first such reports due on 1 December 1993, on the adequacy of the child care and family support services available in their areas.

I presume the Deputy is referring to the report which each health board is required by section 8 of the Child Care Act, 1991, to prepare on child care and family support services in its area. While the legislation does not require that these reports be laid before the Dáil, I am arranging for copies of these to be placed in the Oireachtas Library.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

161 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health the policies pursued by each health board with regard to the operation of Section 5 of the Child Care Act, 1991, and the reason the Western Health Board has issued a directive to the effect that bed and breakfast accommodation is not to be considered suitable or reasonable accommodation under section 5 of the Act, while other health boards appear to view bed and breakfast as reasonable.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

163 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if he intends to issue guidelines to concerned bodies in order to clarify section 5 of the Child Care Act, 1991, to enable such bodies to work effectively the spirit of the Act.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 163 together. Section 5 of the Child Care Act 1991, which came into effect on 1 October 1992, placed a statutory duty on health boards to make suitable accommodation available to homeless persons up to the age of 18 years.

At the time of its commencement my Department informed the health boards that the placement of youngsters in bed and breakfast accommodation was not acceptable, except in an emergency where a suitable placement was not readily available. In such cases the health boards were asked to take immediate steps to secure an appropriate hostel, residential or family placement for the child. The directive issued by the Western Health Board to its staff is fully in keeping with these instructions.

I have no immediate plans to amend these instructions, which I believe are a reasonable and pragmatic approach having regard to the current state of development of our services for homeless youth. It is, however, my intention to devote additional resources to this area, from the £15 million available this year for child care, to expand the number of hostel, residential and family placements and thereby reduce the reliance on bed and breakfast accommodation.

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